The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-01 00:00:00

M. KAMMERER'S ELECTRIC CLOCKS.

An opportunity was afforded by his worship the
mayor, yesterday, at noon, to M. Kammerer, the invert
for and patentee of an electric clock, to exhibit bish°29.
loges electriques in the Mayor's Parlour, of the Town'
hall The Mayor, the Town-clerk, Alderman Willerts
Councillor Simpson, the Rev. Canon Riehson, the Rev.
H. H. Jones, and other gentlemen taking an interest
in the subject, were present. There were three elect
tric clocks, of varied external appearance, placed in
different parts of the room, and these were governed
by one
under-
standck(hioThhewecomnio
clock tolitw
can be added to any clock) whereby it is brought
into contact with the two poles of a galvanic battery.
has ordinary
anadditipoennd madenlu m co
The wires from the battery communicate with a drum.
moved by the clockwork, and every fifteen seconds the
current is changed, the positive and the negative being
transmitted alternately. The going of this clock regn•
later the motion of the others.! A wire is continued from
the drum to the electric clock, which is of very 010°
construction. The apparatus of one of them was fixed
to a dial of plate glass, so that the movement could be
easily observed. There are two pairs of small straight
electro-magnets, each pair having their ends opposite to
the other pair, with about half an inch space between'
Within this space there bangs a vertical steel bar, which
may also may be made of plate-glass, suspended from
spindle at the top. The rod has two slight projections 0°
eachl side, parallel to the ends of the wire-coiled magnet!'
Vhen the electric current comes on the wire from We
positive mid of the battery (through the drum of the
regulator-clock), the positive magnets attract the bar t°_
it, the distance being perhaps the sixteenth of an inch,:
When, at the end of fifteen seconds, the negative poi-
operates, repulsion takes effect, and the bar moves t°
the opposite side. This oscillating bar gives motion
to
a wheel, which turns the minute and hour hands. 111111
is effected rather curiously ; it is something like to!
common crutch or anchor escapement, only that, ineteaO
of the wheel moving the escapement, the escapensent
moves the wheel. The teeth of the wheel are cut °l7
liquely, or sloped on one side, so that all the pallets, oe
the anchor come in contact with the sloping sides beef
cogs of the scape-wheel they force it round. The tv,,
moves one cog every 15 seconds (but could be made
move every second or half second if required), the 113°1Z:
moot being imparted on each side alternately. It was 01'
served that the 3 clocks beat simultaneously, in fact goo
precisely that the triple sound was mistaken by several!
proceeding from one clock. It was stated by the
venter, that if the galvanic battery were attached to.ell
particular standard clock, say the one in the vestibule Of tilt.
Town Hall, that any number of clocks, placed in svb°n
ever part of the city (or the kingdom), communicatit
with this by a wire, would indicate precisely the eanit,
time. The precision with which the instruments ger
formed was the subject of general remark. We tiated
stand that in a prior invention, electricity was only us
e
to impart the motion in one direction,
_a spring bel
depended upon for the opposing motion. rracticeehovie..
that when the electric current was weak, the spring
too strong, and this sometimes led to inaccuracy. I.
Kammerer obviates this by employing the current, 11,1;
tive and negative, for both motions. We learn t":j,
many hundreds of these clocks are in use upon the rfe,
ways and in the public offices in Belgium, and that .0
Kammerer is under contract to supply a large order ie.
Russia. We believe it is not unlikely that an OPPI„*
nity may be afforded to the public to satisfy themse"-
respecting the utility of this method of keeping orrncl
time. One of the clocks was fitted in a street lanlP!' a"01
for this purpose they seem very suitable, as no addition°.
cost would be incurred for illumination, while their ego
sure in large thoroughfares would be a public convenioarr
They also appear to be admirably adapted for waeo,
houses or other large establishments, where one bats
ee'd
could be employed for impelling the instruments P?r*
in the various rooms. Mr. Kammerer is remaining I°st,
short time in Manchester (at Mr. Van Hees, No. 8' for-
James's-square), in order that parties desirous of in is
mation, or who may wish to treat for the invention
this district, may have an interview with him.

The Cork Constitutional says the connection of rht;
Henderson, and Co. with the Bandon Railwal,7.o
ceased. They received 10,000/. in cash, and 7,0°"" 1
shares, in liquidation of all claims. vis
SEZURE OF A PRIVATE DISTILLERY, Si. I°lllo.
WOOD.—On Thursday last a seizure of a private ''st,
tiliery was made at No. 8, Lodge-road, Park-goad' en!
John's-wood, by Messrs. Vanstone, Supervisor,
Leigh, and Pargeter, officers of the London Vetecibe
Force. The still was in full operation at the tinghite
officers arr;ved. A man who gave his name W 12„,,•
was arrested and taken to the police-court, Std -o'''"(t of
bone, when Mr. Long fined him 301., and in ef3P-for
payment committed him to Coldbath-fields Fris°llse.
3 months. The seizure was conveyed to the Inland,ei„
venue Warehouse, To wer -h i ll.— Civil Service
THE ART-TREASURE PALACE AT MANCIIESTEB:Idog
serious accident occurred yesterday at the braion.
erected at Old Trafford for the Art-treasure FA127,-one
A brick wall, which had been carried up 33 fee- forrtiv
the ground, fell suddenly to the ground. One u--,101
nate man, named Jones, a bricklayer, was killed,
seven others were. seriously injured. The PO ()c
sinned by the accident is !stated at 1001.