Oliver wood lathe question

[Calvin Jamison]

20130815152817480_L.jpg20130815152819207_L.jpgI have recently purchased this lathe, which I think to be a Oliver. Anybody know what the yellow bar mounted on the headstock is for?

[Richard Coers]

I think it's an attachment for working with an indexing wheel mounted to the back of the chuck. The arm hinges up to one of several rows of spaced holes, and the tapered end of the bar engages into the hole.