Congrave clock ( # 3 )

This clock is based on a model invented by Sir William Congreve, who patented it in the 1808. Its main feature is the little ball which by gravity moves along a path on a tilting table. The table changes its inclination every thirty seconds. Change of inclination is due by the ball itself which, at the end of its path, hits a lever and releases a wheels train which in turn tilts the table. Of course this clock cannot be very precise. The time employed by the ball to run along its path is subject to many unpredictable factors, such as dust, damp, static current, environmental factors. Despite this snag, it is fascinating to watch the little ball moving restless back and forth.

In museums, if you see people looking around a clock, you can be quite sure they are watching a Congreve clock It is surprising how Sir William gave the dial a regulator design, with three separate hands, one for the hours, another one for the minutes and the last one for the seconds. Perhaps he wanted those observers to be so busy trying to understand the readings of the three dials that they could not detect the timekeeping poorness of his clock. Based on the same design view my n°26.