Standard Electric Time Company
Circa 1900
 |
This Standard Electric Time Company clock is 62 inches tall with a 12 inch dial and was built about 1900. It has a pendulum
that is one second long which means that it takes exactly one second to complete one cycle. The clock
is powered by 120 volts. In 1900 electricity was not a dependable as it is today so it was not uncommon for electricity to go off
during the night. Most of the Standard Electric Master Clocks were powered by a spring that was wound by an electric solenoid every 3 or 4 minutes.
If the electricity was off for more than 30 minutes the clock would stop.
This clock was weight driven so instead of the power winding a spring every 3 or 4 minutes, the power would wind the weight
back up to the top every 3 or 4 minutes. What was great about this system was that if the electricity went off during the night,
the weight could continue to drop for up to 13 hours. Even if the power was off all night, this clock would still be running in the morning.
If the power was off for 12 hours, when the power came back on, it could take up to 30 minutes for the electric motor to wind the weight back up to the top. The
chain was a continuous loop so it would maintain power to the escape wheel while the clock was winding.
Once a minute a contact would close that would advance the tape control system one minute. It would also send power to other slave clocks through out
the building. The control tape which wound around wheels and through the contact assembly would control
electronic bells to signal the different times of the day. The tape was marked with the 24 hours of a day
in 5 minute segments. By punching a hole in the tape for a certain time of the day, when that spot of the tape
would reach the contact points, because there was a hole in the tape, the contacts would short out causing a bell
to ring. This clock was able to control 6 different bell circuits and any number of slave clocks.
|
|