It is finally confirmed as to what this item is. It's an Electrolytic Tilt Sensor, not a switch, but a sensor in that the resistive fluid surrounds more or less of each pin, depending upon the angle deviation from 'normal'. When perfectly upright, the resistances between adjacent pins are all equal, as are equal the diagonal corner to corner resistances.
The amount of variance in resistances measured in the upright position is very small but this is calibrated for in the electronics part of the sensor at the factory so they are very accurate.
Some uses are for measuring tilt on scissor lifts, laser levels, and other things which must be kept upright or at a prescribed angle. Fredericks Company is one manufacturer of the devices.