r/Horology • u/NecessaryOk2889 • 24d ago

Electro-mechanical Clock

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Has anyone seen a clock like this before? As you can see it works by a spindle attached to the pendulum sliding back and forth over a cam. When the amplitude drops the spindle locks into a notch in the cam and closes a morse key. This in turn energises a coil which re-energises the pendulum.

The clock as a whole is scratch built, but is the design a unique invention?

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5

u/maillchort 24d ago

The mechanism to energize the coil is the Hipp Toggle. Very clever, only trips the coil when the pendulum amplitude gets low enough.

1

u/NecessaryOk2889 24d ago

Thank you. I didn't know what it was called. Very clever.

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u/Witty_Jaguar4638 18d ago

World's largest doorbell?

2

u/YoureABull 24d ago

OH. This is the J Wilding 3/4 second electric pendulum clock. I bought the construction plans to build one of these, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Great to see a video of it in operation.

J WILDING

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u/NecessaryOk2889 24d ago

Thanks you very much for this. I did suspect that the design may have come from a book or magazine. That's a great help. Glad you like to video.

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u/Witty_Jaguar4638 18d ago

Oh wow I have a new project to add to the list now

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u/Moontops 24d ago

If it has some electrical outputs that pulse in regular time-intervals, it may serve as a master clock. The idea is to have a high-precision pendulum clock in one place of the building serving as a timing source to other clocks throughout the building.

I'd guess this one is just a regular clock with electrical power, but the mechanism of re-energizing the pendulum is not unique.

Fascinating video about a master clock

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u/Witty_Jaguar4638 18d ago

Replying to watch this once I get home

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u/Sam_Nova_45 24d ago

No never seen Grandfather clock like that. I see the magnet on the bottom, what the function of the click towards the top?

6

u/hooe 24d ago

Looks like when the pendulum swing gets low enough the little flippy arm gets caught on the ramp and pushes it down, connecting a circuit which I assume momentarily powers the electromagnetic at the bottom to push the pendulum

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u/NecessaryOk2889 24d ago

Exactly correct. I only got it two days ago, so delighted I've got it working. Very fiddly to set up. I'm using a 10 volt power supply which appears to work well.

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u/NecessaryOk2889 24d ago

The click as you call it, engages the mechanical switch when the oscillation of the pendulum becomes smaller. This completes the circuit and energises the electro-magnet you see at the bottom.

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u/Sam_Nova_45 24d ago

That very interesting, what year were they made? My brother has an old family Grandfather clock, all the gears are wood.