Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-09-14

In his abstract or replies TO various
| questions touching the working of time
balls, General Hazen says: Three meth
DDS Of constructing the ball are mentioned.
The first is by making a light framework,
either of wooden hoops or of iron or steel
wire, and covering the skeleton with strong
black canvas. The bali must be weighted,
in order TO drop instantly, the amount TO
be added being determined, If desired, by
experiment. II Is estimated that q ball
should weigh from twenty to fifty or more
pounds In order TO move quickly, the
weight varying with the diameter OF the
ball and its exposure to high winds. The
second method of construction 10 that of
the New York ball. which is composed OF
twelve thin vanes of sheet copper, disposed
radially, half of them semi-circlea, the rest
crescents; by this device the visual effect
of solid ball is secured. The weight Of
the ball is l25 pounds. The third method
of construction is illustrated by the Bos-
ton ball. which Is made of rolled plate
copper, one-eighth OF an inch In thick
ness. IL is four feet in diameter and
weighs nearly 400 pounds.
1.-The essential part of the apparatus ls
that which provides for the releasing of
the bail at the right instant. There are
four different plans described In detail.
In all of these the ball Is raised to the top
of Its staff by windlass, or directly by
hand, and held securely till within few
seconds OF the time of release, when the
releasing apparatus ls applied, and the ball
falls at the automatic giving Of the signal
by the clock. The devices described differ
from each other only in the way the arm
ature OF the electro-magnet operated by
the clock 10 connected with the hosting
apparatus, or the rope which detalns the
ball at the top of the staff till its release.
AT New York the circuit through the clock
and electro. magnet is closed at the instant
the ball is released, while at Boston the
ball is detained at the top of the staff by
the electro magnet, and tie releasing of
the armature, when the circuit is broken,
causes the ball to fall The length of the
line is an important factor in determining
the choice between an open or q closed
circuit. The New York ball is cropped
directly from Washington over line 24e
miles In length, the st. LOUIS ball directly
from Glasgow, Nc. at q distance of $50
miles, the Boston ball from Cambridge,
circuit in all these cases is necessarily open
to prevent interruption, the operating
clock closing the circuit, but at Boston, by
the use of relay, local circuit is used
for the immediate dropping of the ball,
which is a closed circuit.
''1he percentage OF failures in dropping
the ball is varlously estimated from one to
five. From the practical working OF the
st. Louis ball, it is found that the number
of failures In three months was two and
half per cent. The Boston ball fell seven
months In succession with no failure, and
records three failures in the last year.
The leading cause OF failure has been q
break in the telegraph line. The New
YORK ball has never been prevented from
dropping by high wind, but could not
be hofsted three times during the last WIN
ter on account of slee.. The Boston ball
was not hoisted once each winter SINCE its
erection, on account of ice. At such tunes
the failure to drop the ball is of not much
Importance, as usually on account of
stormy weather the ball could not be seen
from any great distance. the answers to
the question upon the degree of accuracy
possible in the dropping or ball are in
general devoted TO a discussion Of the sc-
cuyacy attainable by the daily signals
from Rel-equlpped observatory. This
is estimated from less than o. IN good
weather TO or more In cloudy weather.
The accuracy of dropping ball, however,
depends not only upon the accuracy Of the
clock signals, but also on the condition OF
the telegraph lines and the adjustment of
the working relays. Professor Prltchett
estimates that under ordinary circum-
stances, over circuit of one or two hund-
red miles, ball will be dropped within
half second of the truth.
"The distance from an observatory at
which 1t is possible to drop time-balls or
control clocks depends wholly upon the
possibility of securing constant telegraphic
connection. Professor Langley would
undertake to control clocks in any part
of the United States if an uninterrupted
electric current is provided. Mr.. Hamb-
let would undertake to drop q time-bal
at any point within 800 miles from the
buildiHg of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company, New York City, provided
q satisfactory compensation is given the
company for the use of its wires. The
sending of signals from an observatory by
which a clock can be regulated is possible
to great distance from the observatory
through telegraph connections.
No doubt this is all very ingenious, but
the most practical part OF the suggestions
seems TO be involved somewhere in Pro-
fessor Langley's electric current No
matter where time-balls were erected IN
great cities they would be seldom seen by
anybody, rs is now the case, and unless
they could in some way be made to serve
as media of communication between the
astronomical clock and electric batteries
scattered in all the homes and offices of
the people there seems to be no special
object to be gained by increasing the
numbers of them. Nor Is there any suf-
ficient reason for supposing that the aver
age man is specially troubled as to the
exact moment of time In any given hour,
noon or another. Again, tb 9re Is no
earthly probability if all the worlds time
pieces were right that men themselves
would be any more likely to ''come to
tIme," and the first and last study OF man
is not ''time-balls." but mankind.
SIv Tran.