The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-09-07
QUEER TIMEKEEPERS
EFFORTS OF MANKIND TO ESCAPE
WINDING CLOCKS.

The Feat Actually Accomplished in Ger
many-Clocks That Run Long Time
Oliver Cromwells Clock-A Watch That
Required No winding by It's Owner.
Long before the Christian era water
clocks were in use. They were followed
by the sun dials. About the eleventh
century clocks moved by weights and
wheels began to be used in the mon
asteries of England. In 1886 the first
of the wheel clocks publicly seen in
England was placed in ST. Paul's Cathe-
dral. In 1875, when the present ST.
Paul's was begun, project was ON
foot to make clock for the cathedral
that should go 100 years without wind
ing up and cost $4,000. The plan was
not carried out. The clock made cost
C 800 and ran for eight days. 1t was
considered a great wonder.
1t is said that the first pendulum
clocks were made in England about
1922. Oliver Cromwell owned one of
them. Through the tickleness of for
tune 1t has since found its way to the
Philadelphia Library, which boasts its
possession as the Oldest clock in Amer
lea. Another of these early pendulum
clocks was made in Germany in 164O,
and was recently taken for repairs to
clockmaker in Hartford, Conn. He
found that it was wound by means OF
an endless chain and would go for six
months without stopping.
In the London Times in February,
1927. an advertisement appeared of the
sale of valuable and curious clock
for SEQ. 1t was warranted to 60 for
twelve months without winding. The
advertisement stated further that only
three such clocks had ever been made;
that one was at Hampton Court, one
in nobleman's family, and one at the
advertisers. What fate befell the two
latter is not known, but the one in
Hampton Court is still shown as
great curiosity. 1t is in the bedroom
Of William III. The guard that shows
the clock always gravely remarks that
surely it is very great improvement
on the old Westminster clock, whose
keeper spends two hours arduous labor
every week in winding it up.
The atmospheric clock, which is
sort of perpetual hour glass, is one Of
the inventions that goes Of itself. In
appearance it is like long thermome-
ter with the bulb Of mercury at the
rlo t,,b ;, ~
eighths Of an inch in diameter and Sc
cured to the frame by two bands
through which it passes easily. The
divisions Of time are marked on each
side of the tube. Inside the glass tube
is smaller tube shaped very much as
an hour glass. Some mercury and a
scrap of blottlng paper for the purpose
of taking up any moisture that might
gather in the tube are placed at each
end. The mercury in the top end Of
the tube is placed opposite the mark Of
the proper time and 1t falls to the bot
tom Of the tube exactly as the time
passes When it has run out from the
top the frame can be turned and the
mercury set to the time on the other
side. So 1t registers the seconds and
hours quite as accurately as any other
timepece. But there is the turning Of
the frame to be thought Of, task as
irksome as that Of winding a clock.
A windmill clock, the idea Of which
originated in Germany, illustrates a
unique way Of winding without hand
labor. In some spacious chimney
where there is always good current of
air windmill wheel is placed. BY aid
of the cogwheels the circular move
ment is then passed down the chimney
and attached to the winding apparatus
Of the clock that stands on the mantel
shelf This is known as one of the
perpetual motion clocks. The turning
of weather cock by the wind has also
been utilized for the same purpose.