The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-01-07
TIE ROCK IsLAND ARSENAL CLOCK.

d p INK BOCk INLAND A6SENAL CAOCAs
Last Monday week lDec. 3oth) Mr.. A. g.
aHotehkiss, Of New York City, the eminently
Successful clock maker, arrived at the Rod
man House, and immediately reported ct
headquarters, at the Arsenal, and commenced
setting up the splendid tower clock, made at
his mandatory, in Williamsburg, and ord.
cred by Gen. Rodman, for the Arsenal
Yesterday we were invited BY Mr.. Hotchkiss
to visit the Arsenal and examine the clock.
1t is so complete and successful piece OF
workmanship that our readers, we think, viii
be interested in brief description Of it.
A solid frame of cast iron, supported by
four iron columns, sustains the frame and
works, every portion of which is finely fin
ished. The hight of the structure is seven
feet. The time main-wheel, three feet in
diameter, revolves once in ~ hours. 1t has
the hours painted on its face, and has q
pointer denoting the hour of the day. The
"snail' is fixed on its arbcr aud revoives
with it. The second wheel is u inches in
diameter, revolyes every hour, has minutes
on its face, and pointer denotes the min
ute of the hour. 1t also has the lifting pin
attached to unlock the striking. The 'scape
wheel is 50 inches in diameter, revolving in
3 minutes, with the seconds pointed off.
This arrangement of wheels and numbers
precludes the necessity of any dial work on
the movement. The 'scape wheel has 80
pins of peculiar shape, designed by Mr..
Hotchkiss to prevent the oil being attracted
on to the wheel and leaving the pins dry-a
source Of great annoyance in former pin
escapements. The pallets are Of the finest
agate, and both the pins and the pallets
have the highest attainable polish The
pendulum will vibrate in seconds, making
its length TO center of oscillation 70 feet 6
inches, or whole length about 81 or 80 feet.
The weight of the ball is $50 pounds.
The strike side has two wheels the same
size Of the time, the third srbor having a
short arm and pin to do the locking, and
runs through the frame with four fans at
tached outside. The main wheel has 80
pins with finely polished steel rollers. For
lifting the hammer, three pins are placed in
the second wheel, and pawl that drops by
its own weight on the frame, allows the train
to move freely forward, but instantly checks
retrograde movement while winding. The
second wheel has also near its center three
gathering pins. A lever from the lifting pin
frees the rack, allowing its arm to drop
against the snail; it also unlocks and de-
tains the train until the proper time for
striking. Another lever catches the rack by
means of an inside ratchet as each gathering
pin leaves it, and holds it in position to re-
ceive the next, and so on untilthe end, when
it drops into a slot and locks the train. The
barrels are Is inches in diameter, with spiral
grooves tor wire rope. One maintaining power
is self-acting and adjustable to any required
strength. The wheels are composition, or
gun metal, the pinions solid steel, and the
teeth of all are rounded at the bottom to Sc
cure the greatest strength. The nicely OF
fits and simplicity of parts are such that, al
though in ordinary clocks of this size a
weight of 700 pounds is required for power,
the time movements are to be driven by q
weight of only $50 pounds, and the striking
machinery by one of $50 pounds. The
clock has four IL foot dials, one for each of
the four sides Of the tower.
The weight of the clock is about 5000 to
$500 pounds, and its cost about 5000. 1t
is an elegant piece of work and reflects
much credit upon its ingenious inventor and
manufacturer. Some portions of the ma
chinery are now in motion, and all will be in
complete running order within week or ten
days. When completed the denizens of
Rock Island, Moline, Davenport, and the
vicinity, cad distinctly hear the striking of
the hours, at all times of day or highland
IN the night, with favorable state of the
atmosphere, the striking can be heard for
hive or six miles. The bell for the clock
weighs $500 lbs, and has been in position
since last September
Mr.. Hotchkiss will remain at the Rodman
House, having charge of the clock until it
is in perfect order and accepted by the
United States authorities at the Arsenal.
IOWA DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION