Electric time piece
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1872
This electric time piece, documented by its 1872 British patent, functions as an electrically-maintained slave clock mechanism. Lacking a traditional dial or pendulum, the device comprises an open brass framework supporting the motion work for the clock hands and a reversed escapement system.
It is designed to interface with pendulums that are maintained by electrical currents transmitted every second from a master clock. The mechanical operation relies on two gravity arms, which are lifted by the motion of the pendulum; when these arms fall, they drive the escape wheel. The assembly includes a set of blue-tinted clock hands mounted centrally on the mechanism. Attributed to the makers J. Ritchie and Sons, this object serves as a record of a specific method for converting electrical impulses into mechanical hand movement, intended for use within a synchronized timekeeping network.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Electric slave clock mechanism
- Maker
- J. Ritchie and Sons
- Patented Date
- 1872
- Mechanism Type
- Reversed escapement with gravity arms
- Patent Reference
- British Patent Specification No. 2078 of 1872
- Component absence
- No pendulum or dial
- Maker / attribution
- F. J. Ritchie
Design
- Visible features
- • Blue steel hour and minute hands • Open brass frame construction • Accession number 1913-564 engraved on the frame • Mechanism features two projecting gravity arms
- Mechanism and Operation
- The time piece is constructed with an open brass frame designed to support the gear train and the specialized escapement. It utilizes a reversed escapement mechanism characterized by two distinct gravity arms. These components interact with a pendulum that is maintained through electrical currents transmitted at one-second intervals from a separate master clock. During operation, the pendulum lifts the gravity arms. As these arms fall back, they apply force to the escape wheel, thereby driving the motion work of the clock. This arrangement allows the mechanism to translate electrical signaling from a remote master clock into the mechanical movement required to rotate the clock hands, effectively acting as a slave unit within a larger timekeeping system.
- Design and Configuration
- The physical configuration of the object consists of a frame without a dial plate or integrated pendulum. The clock hands, finished in a blue tone, are positioned centrally on the frame, connected directly to the train of wheels. The frame itself serves as the support structure for the gear train, which is exposed, allowing direct observation of the movement. The design intention is specifically focused on the transfer of power through the gravity arms.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The object is recorded with the accession number 1913-564 and is attributed to the makers J. Ritchie and Sons. Its technical operation is defined by British Patent Specification No. 2078, which was issued in 1872. The device remains in the collection as a material reference for F. J. Ritchie's patented method for electrical synchronization. The documentation establishes the link between the physical artifact and the patent literature. It is described as a piece for use within a master-slave configuration, indicating that the object was intended to be one part of a larger, coordinated electrical timekeeping installation rather than an autonomous unit.
Identification
- Reference
- British Patent Specification No. 2078 of 1872
- Accession Number
- 1913-564
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Does not include the pendulum unit
- Research required: Functionality depends on external master clock current