Interesting Fast/Slow lever on dial.

[T.Cu]

Hi Everyone, I have a "new" New Haven clock, shown in the photos. Has anyone seen a fast slow assembly like this one? It's new to me.
Can you see the lever showing below the hands? The little lever is steel and has a sheath fitting over the flat pin on the movement, and pulls off with the hands for removing the movement.
When the lever is on, moving it one way or the other raises or lowers the suspension using that "handlebar mustache" shaped cam plate.
It didn't seem to work all that well over the years.The area of the dial around the hand arbor hole in the dial is pretty cracked and chipped from people moving the lever. Also they seem to have kept pushing the lever further towards the dial, because there's not much room for the hands to fit over it yet still be under the glass.

 

[Steven Thornberry]

The patent for the regulating device was granted to Hiram Camp on August 15, 1882, US262738. Camp, of course was President of the New Haven Clock Co. from 1853 to 1891. Many ideas that seemed good at the time did not, over time, show their anticipated value. This is the first instance of this particular regulating device that I can recall seeing.

 

[T.Cu]

Thank you Steven! I love information like this to add to my accounts of each of my clocks. Fascinating. Great account of the patent, too, to add.
I am curious what about it made you think this was an earlier instance of the mechanism?

 

[Steven Thornberry]

I am curious what about it made you think this was an earlier instance of the mechanism?

What I meant was that I had not seen this mechanism before. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[T.Cu]

I see, thanks!