A longcase clock, also tall-case clock, grandfather clock or floor clock, is a freestanding, weight-driven, pendulum clock with the pendulum held inside the tower, or waist of the case. A pendulum clock is a Clock that uses a Pendulum, a swinging weight as its Timekeeping element A pendulum is a mass that is attached to a pivot from which it can swing freely Clocks of this style are commonly around 1. 8-2. 4m (6-8 feet) tall. The case often features elaborately carved ornamentation on the hood, or bonnet, which surrounds and frames the dial, or clock face. A clock face is the part of an Analog clock that displays the time through the use of a fixed numbered dial or dials and moving hands The English clockmaker William Clement is credited with the development of this form in 1670. Most longcase clocks are striking clocks, which means they sound the time on each hour or fraction of an hour. A striking clock is a Clock that sounds the Hours audibly on a bell or Gong.
The terms "grandfather", "grandmother", and "granddaughter" have been applied to longcase clocks. Although there is no specifically defined difference among these terms, the general perception seems to be that a clock smaller than 1. 5m (5 feet) is a granddaughter; over 1. 5m (5 feet) is a grandmother; and over 1. 8m (6 feet) is a grandfather.
Contents |
Origin
The advent of the longcase clock is due to the invention of the anchor escapement mechanism around 1670. In Horology, the recoil or anchor escapement is a type of Escapement used in Pendulum clocks An Escapement is the mechanism Prior to that, pendulum clock movements used an older verge escapement mechanism, which required very wide pendulum swings of about 100°. The verge (or crown wheel) escapement is the earliest known type of mechanical Escapement, the mechanism in a mechanical Clock that controls Long pendulums with such wide swings could not be fitted within a case, so most clocks had short pendulums. The anchor mechanism reduced the pendulum's swing to around 4° to 6°, allowing clockmakers to use longer pendulums, which had slower "beats". These needed less power to keep going, caused less friction and wear in the movement, and were more accurate. Most longcase clocks use a "seconds" (or "Royal") pendulum, meaning that each swing takes one second. These are about a metre (39 inches) long (to the centre of the bob). This requirement for height, along with the need for a long drop space for the weights which power the clock, gave rise to the design of the long narrow case.
Modern longcase clocks use a more accurate variation of the anchor escapement called the deadbeat escapement. In Horology, the recoil or anchor escapement is a type of Escapement used in Pendulum clocks An Escapement is the mechanism
Description
Traditionally, longcase clocks were made with two types of movement: eight-day movements and 30-hour movements. A clock with an eight-day movement required winding only once a week, while the generally lower-priced 30-hour clock had to be wound every day. Eight-day clocks are often driven by two weights - one driving the pendulum and the other the striking mechanism, which usually consisted of a bell or chimes. Such movements usually have two keyholes on either side of the dial to wind each one (as can be seen in the Thomas Ross clock above). By contrast, 30-hour clocks often had a single weight to drive both the pendulum and the chimes. Some 30-hour clocks were made with false keyholes, for customers who wished that guests to their home would think that the household was able to afford the more expensive eight-day clock. All modern chiming grandfather clocks have 8-day movements. Most grandfather clocks are cable-driven, meaning that the weights are suspended by cables. If the cable was attached directly to the weight, the load would cause rotation and untwist the cable strands, so the cable wraps around a pulley mounted to the top of each weight. The mechanical advantage of this arrangement also doubles the running time allowed by a given weight drop.
Cable clocks are wound by inserting a special crank (called a "key") into holes in the clock's face and turning it. Others, however, are chain-driven, meaning that the weights are suspended by chains that wrap around gears in the clock's mechanism, with the other end of the chain hanging down next to the weight. To wind a chain-driven grandfather clock, one pulls on the end of each chain, lifting the weights until the weights come up to just under the clock's face.
Elaborate striking sequences
In the early 20th century, quarter-hour chime sequences were added to grandfather clocks. At the top of each hour, the full chime sequence sounds, immediately followed by the hour strike. At 15 minutes after each hour, 1/4 of the chime sequence plays, at the bottom of each hour, half of the chime sequence plays, and at 15 minutes before each hour, 3/4 of the chime sequence plays. Almost all modern mechanical grandfather clocks have at least Westminster Quarters, and many also offer the option of Whittington chimes or St. Description The melody consists of five different Permutations of four pitches which can be played in any key Whittington chimes is the name of a clock chime melody which according to the traditional English story Dick Whittington, first rang from the bell tower Michael's chimes, selectable by a switch mounted on the right side of the dial, which also allows one to silence the chimes if desired. As a result of adding chime sequences, all modern mechanical grandfather clocks have three weights instead of just two. The left weight provides power for the hour strike, the middle weight provides power for the clock's pendulum and general timekeeping functions, while the right weight provides power for the quarter-hour chime sequences.
The origin of the term "grandfather clock"
During the 19th century, two brothers named Jenkins worked as managers at the George Hotel in Piercebridge, County Durham, England. Piercebridge is a village in the borough of Darlington and the Ceremonial county of County Durham, England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland One of the brothers died and, according to the story told to Henry Clay Work in 1875, the clock (made by James Thompson) began to lose time. Henry Clay Work ( October 1, 1832 - June 8, 1884) was an American Composer and Songwriter. Repair attempts were made, but failed. When the other brother died at the age of 90, the clock stopped running altogether, and was never repaired in remembrance of the brothers.
Work decided to write a song about the story of this clock, which he called My Grandfather's Clock. "My Grandfather's Clock" is a Song written in 1876 by Henry Clay Work, the author of " Marching Through Georgia " The song became popular, and it is from this song that the current usage derives. [1]
Types of longcase clock
Comtoise clocks
Comtoise clocks, also known as Morbier clocks or Morez clocks, were made in the French region Franche-Comté (whence their name). Morbier is a town and commune in the Jura département, in the French region of Franche-Comté. Morez is a commune of the Jura département, in France. The town is mostly known for the manufacture of Spectacles. Franche-Comté ( Franc-Comtois: Fràntche-Comté; Franco-Provençal: Franche-Comtât) the former "Free County" of Burgundy Production of these clocks began in 1680 and continued for a period of about 230 years. During the peak production years (1850-1890) over 60,000 clocks were made each year.
Many Comtoise clocks can be found in France but they are also frequently found in Spain, Germany, and other parts of Europe, less in the USA. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the These clocks were very popular across the generations; they kept the time on farms throughout France. Many Comtoise clocks were also exported to other countries in Europe and even further, to the Ottoman Empire and as far as Thailand. The metal mechanism was usually protected by a wooden sheath.
Bornholm clocks
Bornholm clocks are Danish longcase clocks in the form of a tall wooden box. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe They are driven by a pendulum and were made on Bornholm from 1745 to 1900. Bornholm (b̥ʌnˈhʌlˀm or [bɔʀnˈhɔlˀm]) ( Old Norse: Burgundarholm ' is a Danish Island in the Baltic Sea located Year 1745 ( MDCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar
Bornholm clock-making began in the 1740s when an English ship, which had longcase clocks in its hold, was stranded. Year 1740 ( MDCCXL) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap A ship /ʃɪp/ is a large vessel that floats on water Ships are generally distinguished from Boats based on size A ship's hold, in older Ships was below the Orlop deck, the lower part of the interior of a ship's hull, especially when considered as storage space as They were sent for repair to a turner named Poul Ottesen Arboe in Rønne and as a result of his repair of them he learned enough about clocks to begin to make his own. Turning is the process whereby a centre lathe is used to produce "solids of revolution"
The demand for Bornholm clocks has been falling in recent years.
Historical manufacturers
Clockmakers in England
- William Barrow, London
- Thomas Bullock, Bath
- Richard Donisthorp (fl. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. Richard Donisthorp ( fl 1797) was a Clockmaker in Loughborough in the United Kingdom. 1797), of Loughborough
- Peter Fearnley, Wigan
- John Harrison, Wakefield/Barrow/London
- Edward Harrison, Warrington
- William Lassell (1758-1790), Toxteth Park, Liverpool
- Thomas Ross, Hull
- John Snelling, Alton
- Thomas Worswick, Lancaster
- Henry Young, Swaffham
- Allam & Clements
- Thomas Cartwright
- Matthew & Thomas Dutton
- Holmes
- Thomas Johnson
- Daniel Quare
- Trubshaw
- Thomas Wright
Clockmakers in Scotland
Clockmakers in Wales
- John Fernhill, Wrexham
Clockmakers in the United States
- Luman Watson (1790-1834), Cincinnati
- Simon Willard (1753–1848), Roxbury, Massachusetts
Current manufacturers
- Howard Miller Clock Company
- James Stewart & Sons
- Seth Thomas Clock Company
- Ridgeway Clocks
- Colonial Times Clock Co.
- D' Clock Boutique.
- Russell Grandfather Clocks.
Bulova Watch Company
External links
- Charles Edwin on the evaluation of antique clocks
- Care guide for valuable antique longcase clocks
- P A Oxley discuss the longcase clock
Dictionary
longcase clock
-noun
- A freestanding weight-driven pendulum clock, having the pendulum and weights in a tall case
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic