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LVII.— NOTES ON SOME POINTS IN THE CONSTEUCTION 

 OF TUEEET CLOCKS. By HOWAED GEUBB, M.E., 

 F.E.S. 



[Read, March. 16, 1885.] 



Although not exactly in my own line of work, I have lately had 

 occasion to construct a turret clock, and having heen thereby led 

 to investigate somewhat closely the details of same, I heg leave to 

 submit a few notes on those points in which I found it desirable to 

 depart from the generally established lines. 



1st. Considering the care that is always taken by the best 

 makers to preserve the going parts of the clock from all unneces- 

 sary vibrations and shocks, by providing the most substantial foun- 

 dation and isolating the clock supports from all floors, &c., it has 

 always been a matter of surprise to me that they invariably, as far 

 as I know, mount the " going" and striking parts on the one frame 

 or castings. In the act of striking, the frame receives violent blows 

 from the hammer levers, far in excess of anything likely to occur 

 from other causes, and as no attempt is made to isolate this neces- 

 sarily heavy rough part of the work from the delicate going part, 

 it appears to me that these concussions must exercise a very bad 

 effect on the rate of the clock. 



I therefore have constructed the going and striking parts as 

 entirely separate pieces of machinery, and they will be mounted 

 on independent supports isolated from one another. The "going" 

 portion alone is exhibited here to-night. The striking portion is 

 too large and heavy to bring down with any convenience. 



2nd. While my slight experience induces me to believe that 

 Dennison's (Sir E. Beckett) double three-legged gravity escape- 

 ment, which I have adopted in this case, is the very best for the 

 purpose, I cannot believe with Sir E. Beckett that it is so perfect 

 that to add a remontoire train is superfluous, and I have therefore 

 done so. 



Bearing in mind also that Sir E. Beckett himself says that 

 the very best rate he ever knew in any clock is that at King's 



