Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-11-30
COMMUNICATIONS.
ASTRONOMICAL MACHINERY.

ASTRONOMICAL MACHINERY
I. I'm Improvement In Hauenhofsr's Centrjis.
gal Clock for communicating uniform contint-
] .or to the Electro Ctr0n0graph Register.
II. Astronomical Clock.
| TO THE EDITORS OF THE NATIONAL ISrELLtssscER.
l. To obtain clock motion at equaby uniform and
al the time well regulated the common escape
cek which goes by every second half second has
for time been desideatum with astronomers and my
late invention by which time and astronomical observations
printed elecuuteleguphicay recipient moved
uniformly possible has made il still desirable OBJ
tain this we-reguased motion. Many ingenious have
undoubtedly been studying tho problem and may hs,s
succeeded more or less in It's solution.
Last spring Lieut. MAURr requested that would turn mp
thoughts upon that subject did So and have devised the
olowingplan, which have comuanicaed to him in the
letter which Is quoted below
CrroIrsAT1 NOVEMBER IL, 1850.
LIEUT.. MAURr-DEAR SrR = have mentioned in one Of
my previous letters that thought had improved the Frau
enhofer clock by means Of attachment The following
is the genersloune of the plan The Fuenhofr clock as
usually made at Munich, is adjusted nearly pos
bic at the requd rate, but as the be pcept
soDer An asuvant wheel 10 then added TO into the
main wheel, with ratchet having notch 10 every second
Of time in its revolution, and intermediate spring, like the
mantainngp spring used to keep up motion during;
the winding Of clock. rsriprocating magnetic engne
made operate BY the Interruptions derived from the astro
ncmica clock brings the rachs wheel up the notch
quired every second Of time. Thus the magnetic engine Is
sde to act through he temper spring (which winds upl
supplementary power 70 tho ordinary driving weight Of
the Fauenhoer clock which weight has been previously
adjusted in such redace this required supple
meptary force to minimum.
You will readily perceive that thssrrangsment will
pei the main wheel 10 perform its revolutions IN due tines
but the unavoidable npeec,ions Of the train will affect the
ultimate notions with slight oscillations plus and minus
These must be reduced far possible, by Of
curae workmanship Thus have 50 far solved the pro-
bem suggested by yoast spring. when you pPosed that
the Astronomical Clock be regulate the motion Of
the Equatorial Telescope"
H. In making the first astronomical clock for the Obseva
toy,a mechanical suspension Of The pendulum seemed
to be the convenient and adopted one, viz
roertuning plain ewelled surfaces This operated
ceedngy we'll while it could be kept in place. But from
imperecons Of workmanship probably Unavoidable it is Ii
able to slight motion those planes, and that
the clock subject change Of It seems then, that
this aswea all other "mechancal SUSPENSIONS such the
knife edge friction roller" &c., which have been At vari-
times tried, give place the suspension by springs.
In sparicular, well in Others chance for
Improvement in the model Of the clock anda ostno time
making plan pa Of which is described in my report
Congress) and in ordering clock made accordingly.
That new clock done. The makers Msssrs How
ARD &DAyIs, Of Boston, well pleased with the de-
sign that they requested permission make duplicate clock
for their own This duplicate insrumsntwas exhibited
by them the late fair in Boston, and received premium
for the workmanship, which is certainly very perfect and
beautiful
Messrs Howard Davis have also introduced my model
of the gravity ecapement into steepe clock Al Ha%sfhl
Massachusetts, Its performance reported to b quite salts
factory This kind Of escapement has the advantage steepe
clocks that the pendulum is detached onhe train that
scarcely affected by the action Of the wind upon the hands
The first clock will probably be removed short time lomths
Observatory for the purpose Of altering the suspension Of the
penduum to correspond with that Of the model.
have also procured centrifugal clock on Frauenhosrs
plan, made by Messs. Howard & Davis which sto be fur
nshed with the magneical regulator above described be
attached to cylindrical register and placed in the National
Observatory that regulator is completed Mean
time these instruments remain in my hands at Cncin
natl for the purposes Of trial and adjustment
Very respectfully, JOHN LOCKE.