AC electric clocks...

[cfz2882]

AC current motor driven mechanical clocks.
I have gathered a decent collection of these over the years,a few are from the '30s and need a spin to start the synchronous motor. Lots of different motor designs and brands before the '90s. Telechron started in the '30s and went to about 1993. I think the only company still making proper electric clocks for commercial use is Electric time and i do not know who makes the motors. Several school "slave clocks" are in collection and those are often 24v. About 1980,drug a big one out of a junk heap-about 15-16" dia, heavy brass mechanism,motor had two big field coils with green cotton insulated magnet wire: at the time i thought it was very old -probably from about 1930 - but later recognised it was more likely from about 1915...Oh how i would love to have that back and restore to running order I have looked around and not found another like it,it might have been made by Western Electric .

 

[kenwashesmonday]

Warren Telechron received a patent for the self starting synchronous clock motor in 1918.

 

[phillymatt53]

AC current motor driven mechanical clocks.
I have gathered a decent collection of these over the years,a few are from the '30s and need a spin to start the synchronous motor. Lots of different motor designs and brands before the '90s. Telechron started in the '30s and went to about 1993. I think the only company still making proper electric clocks for commercial use is Electric time and i do not know who makes the motors. Several school "slave clocks" are in collection and those are often 24v. About 1980,drug a big one out of a junk heap-about 15-16" dia, heavy brass mechanism,motor had two big field coils with green cotton insulated magnet wire: at the time i thought it was very old -probably from about 1930 - but later recognised it was more likely from about 1915...Oh how i would love to have that back and restore to running order I have looked around and not found another like it,it might have been made by Western Electric .

Interesting!
Have you seen my comments/pictures that I added about my 1930s Postal Time clock?
https://automaticwasher.org/threads/sears-countdown-at-t-minus-5-stores.99178/post-1238570

My clock also has a "spin start" synchronous motor.

 

[cfz2882]

Oh yeah,that is one cool clock-especially since it is lighted-nice save too! I was in a USAF air traffic control center in '82 and there were 24hr school size clocks that had EL panel lit faces in that blue-green color-Ihave tried to identify, find and buy these clocks with no luck...The facility was built in 1957 and the clocks may have been from that time. A few better vintage quartz clocks i have installed AC motors in and converted to lighted-one with a neon ring. I have one cool '30s clock that i cannot get to run-forget the brand,i will look-coil is fine,motor turns, but no action-i think rotor might have lost magnetism...The motor is enclosed rotor and primary reduction similar to a telechron but different...A very old GE clock i have,1920s or possibly 'teens has mechanical movement with a little eddy current disc motor that keeps it wound-it works good still

 

[phillymatt53]

I have a 1948 Lackner "Neon Glo" table clock that I picked up at a flea market years ago, I paid $30 for it.
Lovely polished solid walnut case, switched, edge-lit illuminated dial.
However the numerals on the front glass were brittle and peeling off.
I re-did the glass with glass-etching acid with just round dots in place of numerals.
The motor conked out after a couple of years - dated 11-48.
Luckily, a clock parts site had replacements for around $35.
I also modified the lighting from the original C7 bulbs, to LED.

This is one I saw on that Flea-Bay site...


And my modified version...

 

[cfz2882]

Nice-probably got hot with those C7s,so LED a nice conversion.I had a company logo wall clock With a 15w florescent tube that kept burning out-must have had wrong ballast-and fixed that one with LED conversion.