Eddie!!
You discovered and described exactly what it is. Your discovery didn't occur to you until adulthood. I figured it out at age 12. You're right it's a DISH washer. I enjoy plaing with them at wash-ins cuz there's pretty much nuttin but glasses, dishes and maybe some other stuff that fits. but I couldn't see having one of th3ese as a daily driver. I'd be washing too many things by hand--pots, pans, mixing bowls. But you're right, it needs to be saved. And funny thing, EVERY household I knew that had a KA17 or lower (one wash-arm wonders) ONLY put dishes in their machines in suberbia. I never once saw a pot, pan, mixing bowl, and the like. I'd just go on back home and put everything that would fit in the 1968 Waste King or the RotoRack. Nuf Said!!