The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-01
A CURIOUS CLOCK
It Has Neither Hands Nor Face, But
Tells the Hour by a Weight

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
Probably the most novel clock in Chicago
is one now in the possession of c. e.
Moore. master mechanic of the Chicago
City Railway company. 1t is so curious
in fact that the observer is tempted to say
1t is not clock at all, but mechanical
hour glass. However, 1t contains some-
thing resembling clock mechanism, and
was once used for telling time, so that its
claims to being a clock can hardly be dis
puted. But it is certainly an unusual time
piece.
Mr.. Moore is something of collector of
curiosities and is an inventor and mechan-
zeal genius in his own right. His home at
604S Nincennes avenue is filled with old,
odd and unusual objects from a two-hand-
ed Toledo blade used by the buccaneers to
repel boarders in 400 to a perpetual motion
machine. But his latest pet and joy among
his many interesting bre-a-brac Is the
clock
The clock is unquestionably of Chinese or
Japanese workmanship, though a Chinese
friend of Mr.. Moore says such clocks are
as rare in China or Japan as In this coun-
try. AIR. Moore found it in junk shop on
South Clark street, so far gone into decay
that its original form and mission could
scarcely be told. He bought it for a few
cents, took 1t home and devoted his leisure
moments for weeks restoring 1t. The result
of his labor and mechanical skill are evil
dent in the finished and almost new look of
the clock at present
The clock Is made of mahogany prhnci
pally and Is not over fifteen inches long
and two and one-half inches square. AT
the top there is ffetle glass case four
inches long where would ordinarily ex-
pecG the face to be. There is no face there
however, or at least no tlmeJtelling face.
Instead there is a representation in brass
of q lar fu1l af 40 ufhk rfS
conceals the works behind. The face. If
there Is such thing on the clock, extends
all down the front the hour marks being
placed one below the other. A small brass
pointer moves up and dcwn past these
hours marks. The pointer Is attached to a
lead weight which is raised to The top of
the marks a"i then gradually drops to the
hattom, moving past a mark each hour.
The weight thus really tells the time
OF course the clock must be wound again
at once when the weight reaches the bot
tom, or else time will be lost in the record
This is just the same necessity as exists
in turning an hour glass when the last of
the sand runs down. Only twenty -four
marks are on the front of the clock, so
each twelve hours the clock must be re-
wound. just on the minute. in order to
insure keeping even approximate time. The
little hour marks are curious half-English
and half-Chinese characters, running from
one to six twice over A cross serves for
the figure four.
The works are made of brass, and are
comparatively modern looking, though
clock mechanism is of all dates and ma
tons. They consist of little drum on
which a catgut attached to the lead weight
is wound. an escapement and two CIR three
wheels. Under Mr.. Moores skillful re-
pairing the clock has been induced to rum
though 1t is far from keeping accurate time
as yet.
Mr.. Moore is seeking information as to
the date and history of his clock His best
belief now is that his clock is one of three
or four in existence, and was made in
China many years ago. He thinks it was
brought to this country by an immigra mt
as a portion of his household effects and
was finally pawned and sod After knock
ing about in the secondhand stores and
junk shops it came under the notice of Mr..
Moore and was rescued.