Still photograpgh of the clock hung on my wall. I guess you can tell I am pretty proud of my very 1st Clock..!
As I am looking forward to having this clock in operation quite soon, I am wondering what is the best method of getting 1.5 volts to run the clock? Should i just used a D Cell battery or rig up some sort of vaiac and hide it in the wall somehow?
I would use batteries. A pair of D cells hooked in parallel should give a fairly long run time before replacing (a year or so). If Bill Ellison is coming back, get his input as to what's the best way to power it.
(Update) on my Electric Clock. I was just on the phone with Bill Ellison and several questions about the clock may have been answered. There was a question on what the mechanism is for that is about 1/4 of the way down the pendelum rod. Not only is it for where the crutch makes contact with the pin but is also for setting up the timing of the clock by that long knurled brass adjusting screw. Bill is to come down shortly with a new and correct suspension spring for the clock. Jerry
Today the 12th of January 2012 I was paid a visit from William Ellison & Ken Kerr. I want to thank these 2 fantastic guys for getting my clock running. They pulled the movement etc, etc..looked it over and studied it for quite sometime. They are still perplexed as how it actually works. Very very interesting.. They then put it all back together and applied 3 volts to the electric motor and it took right off. I was told it needs to be gone completely through for servicing it. I hope they both chime in here on the website to explain alot better about the time piece then i can put into words. I was just overjoyed to actually see it run. Both of them also agree that this is surely some type of prototype or patent time piece model. The electric motor below winds a spring in the movement we just found out. Still kind of perplexed as to why the arm on the side that runs from the movement to the electric bracket housing actually does. They are speculating that is serves some time of purpose for a dead spot on the motors rotation? Again thanks so much Bill and ken for spending your day here with me messing with the berger.
I think Ken and William will have much joy with the clock! I would do this. Congratulations for the clock! Frank
"Both of them also agree that this is surely some type of prototype or patent time piece model." Exactly what I told you back in November when you posted the first photo! :bang: That said, I enjoyed following the thread, we just need to know more about E. Berger. Onward!
E. Berger Battery clock: The mystery deepens--- Earlier this year Bill Ellison and I had the opportunity to look at this clock and partially disassemble it. In general operation it is much like a Self Winding clock Company product. It uses much the same “Knock Off” once an hour winding arrangement SWCC used. In fact the contacts used to do this- the upper one anyway- look much like those used by the SWCC. The Winding motor is very much like a SWCC three pole motor in its design. An initial test indicated that 3 volts will run it nicely but we need to be able to run it under load to verify same. In just about every other respect it is not the same as a SWCC clock. It uses a deadbeat brocot escapement – the Escape wheel shaft runs through the minute, hour and mainspring barrel. Pinions are a mixture of Lantern and cut steel. The motor and movement are connected by a long spring like those used in old movie projectors. The upper (clock movement) pulley the wind spring runs on is set into a swinging arm arrangement that changes the spring tension as the arm lifts – this arm has an adjustable weight on it along with a long shaft that goes down to the motor where there is a adjustable set of nuts on the shaft to set the limits of the swing arm range of travel. There is no other direct connection between the motor and movement. The anti back up click for the main spring is located in the movement. There is no provision for a set of manual contacts to start the initial spring wind. There is a rather odd provision to “lock” the verge swing using a couple of long screws. The plates and most parts look to be custom made. A further tear down will be needed to see if any of the wind control parts might be the same as SWCC parts. The next step will be to tear the movement and motor down and clean them as they are very dirty. Once running I hope to be able to state just why the swing arm is in there. Currently my best guess is that it is used to set the motor commuter on one or another contact and avoid dead spots- but we shall see. Due to the location of the motor and general “look” of this clock it ought to be something to see it running- particularly when it is winding. Ken Kerr
Thanks ken for the information and also thanks for taking the time to come to my house to examine the clock.
After now owning this electric time piece about 10 months i just paid attention to one detail i never thought of before. The dial itself has no means of sticking a key in it and winding it up. yes i understand its electric, however this dial surely was specially made just for this clock and that the dial was not cobbled from another clock..The longer i own this the more i am realizing how unusual it is..
Thought i would check in again to see if anyone might have anything new as to more information on my electric time piece..? To this day, i have not seen anything even close to the style of this clock. 15 months of owning this and still remains a big mystery.
Skinner's auctions are archived online, with patience you can search the archives: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/search?q=skinners+clock&hasimage=true&dtype=gallery&type=complete&rows=20 All I recall at their last auction were the usual suspects: SWCC and maybe an E Howard, but my memory isn't as reliable as it used to be.
This is a total long shot, but there was a company called Paul E Berger that made electrical slot machines in the 1890's: http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Paul-E-Berger-Chicago-Ridge-1897-Slot-Machine-Vintage-8x10-Reprint-Photo-Sale-/00/s/MTAyNFg4MTk=/$(KGrHqR,!gwFC+lEvJGpBQzh,JztGQ~~60_57.JPG If you could track down a machine, it would be interesting to see if the mechanicals had any similarities.
I would like to bring this rare electric clock back up to see if someone may have found or seen any information on this piece. I have had no luck at all trying to find out whom E Berger was in relation to this clock..Thanks CM
