ELECTRIC CLOCKS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 June 1932, Page 8

ELECTRIC CLOCKS

TIAIARU MAN’S SUCCESS. NEARLY PERPETUAL! MOTION. TIMARU, June 24. About ten years ago a scientific journal published an account of an electric impulse clock, a new invention that marked a decided step forwa.d in the clock-making industry. The article attracted the attention of An L. Sand.lands, a resident of Tiniaru, wiio conceived the idea of making t< clock on the synchronome principle for himself.

Although he had then reached the age of sixty years he commenced hi: work with all the enthusiasm and confidence of a man less than half his: age. The result was a complete success, and the methods by which he achieved his object were remarkable in their ingenuity. He had no cap ital and no meant; of obta.ning it. Hi and his wife lived together in a mod est house in Sutter Street, subsisting on a small pension which di< not allow of expenditure for exper mental purposes. A sonion,; obstacle indeed—overcome solely by sheer determination and inventiveness of a re markable degree ef ingenuity.

TWENTY-TWO CLOCKS

He picked up brass terminals at marine stores and procured magnets: from old -electric hells. From an old motor pump, cut into two length's and filled with old lead, he constructed his first pendulum. For a suspension spring and contact springs, lie utilised the supports from an old pair of corsets and made the electric contact: with platinum taken from an old sot of false teeth. After months of devoted work and experimenting, he at last succeeded, and his clock has kept accurate time for ten years without showing any signs of wear or impaired action. Since then Mr Sandilands has made no fewer than twenty-two impulse docks. The clock receives its motive power from a battery of three Leclanche cells which deve’op sufficient power to ke«’ t'e clock in action for a period of from three to five years. The principle on which it works is electromagnetic attraction. This has beet' described as being the nearest thing to perpetual motion vet known. Th-e inventor is of the firm opinion tliat the synchronome clock will keep almost perfect time for hundred's of years. Its variation either way is under one-hund edth part of a second in twenty-four hours.

Although his own cßck was a remarkable success Air Sandjl >ncl« was not yet satisfied and wrote to the Synchronome Clock Company, of London, for advice with a view to furthering his experiments. The company was interested in the work that he ha l done; not only did they send him a plan of their clock,' hut also fo' warded his the castings with which to construct, for liis own use, a model, of the synchronome dock as used in the Greenwich Observatory, London. Tn

this ho succeeded, and the model is to be se;m, with others of his own invention, at his home. CHIMES CONSTRUCTED. He then set himself the task of making Westminster chimes for his clocks. A remarkable feature is that the motor for driving the chimes barrel was made from an old wind-screen wiper and is constructed after the pattern of the old French musical box. Another invention of note is that which sets the motor going, by the transmission of power through the chimes ban el to an electro-magnet. After the c.urae ban been struck the motor is immediately stopped in the same way. The whole system is a positive automatic action from the clock to the chime apparatus. The dial of the clock was cut out by Air Sandilands from thin braes which was originally an alarm clock case. The hands were made of the same material and are of the pattern used during the 1767 period. Mr Sandilands deplores what he considers do be the present-day tendency in youths to neglect experimental work for more prosaic pursuits. He coiisideis that every mail should he a “haiuly-man,” and that education should aim at developing initiative which is not deterred from undertaking any work through lack of materials.

Air Sandilands is a native of Scotland and is proud of it.