The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1920-04-22
WONDERFUL new
ASTRONOMIC CLOCK
RECORDS THE EQUATIONS OF
OF THE YEARS ON A DIAL
WOUND ONCE IN Ga YEARS :

equation of the years could not be
accomplished by machinery are dis
proved by the clock completed by
William Blanford of Aurora, ILL.,, who
has recently died a. the age of 81.
His clock was the labor Of forty years.
The calendar is arranged for 10000
years, even the double leap years be-
ing provided for. The equation Of
time, operating automatically, has
been accomplished.
The astronomical dial is wound once
in every sixty-eight years, or fourteen
times in about 1000 years. During
the first thousand years, the clock is
expected to operate without impair
ment or attention. The calendar reg
listers the number and name Of each
day, each month and each year. There
is dial or plate below the astronom-
ical dial, which gives the longitude
east and west at 127 of the principal
cities of the world, showing the time
at any hour of the. day or night in
each. An improved compensation PEN
dulum-a device conceived by the in
ventor-is responsible to a large de-
gree for the accuracy Of the clock.
The pendulum is adjusted to; normal
temperature, and is automatically con-
trolled by expansion and contraction
as the result of changes in heat and
cold.
The entire structure, cabinet and
mechanism, was made by the inven-
tor in his little Workshop adjacent to
his home. The cabinet, beautifully
carved, stands 8 feet in height,
feet in width and feet in depth
Series of Dials.
The upper dial marks the time with
absolute accuracy, and is. governed by
an eight day movement. Above the
time dial is the moon frame, khowing
precisely the phases of the moon,
changing automatically at each quar-
ter. The astronomical dial,' below the
time dial, shows the earth and its
revolutions around the sun, the time
it enters the consultations or signs
of the zodiac, paralellism Of the
earth's axis, variations of the sea-
sons, the months and days of the.
month, giving February % days for
three successive years and twenty
nine in leap year.
The main dial is four feet in diam
eter. Twenty-four smaller dials show
the time in the principal cities Of the
globe, there being a variation Of one
hour in each. The clock is operated
by two weights of fifty pounds each,
capable of driving the mechanism for
two months. At the end Of this Pc
riod the weights are automatically
rewound by an electric motor. The
total rewinding process occupies about
five minutes of each year. D.
The clock also has a thermometer
and micrometer attachment which
shows the exact temperature within
one-fftieth degree Fahrenheit, and
the amount of contraction and expan-
sion up to one ten-thousandth of a
inch. Each night the. dials are all
automatically illuminated.
Emigrating to America in 1879.
Blanford located in Aurora. He in
vented many improvements in the
sewing machine, Theological machin-
cry, pin machinery, breaking and
carding machines, etc. In most in
stances he profited little by his in
ventions and he died comparatively
poor.
1t was his dying wish that the clock
be kept in his home city of Aurora,
and this will be provided for. Offers
from the University of Chicago and
others have been declined.
-O