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The striking of the hour follows the same pattern as
the chiming of the quarters. The release lever pulls on the wire,
drawing back the hammer, and then lets it go. The hammer drops under
its own weight and strikes the bell a strong blow. The number of blows
is determined by the distances between twelve grooves on the count
wheel. To make the ringing of the 197-kilogramme bell pleasant to
the ear, the striking mechanism is retarded by a three-bladed fly.
As soon as the locking lever drops into the next slot in the count
wheel, the bell stops striking. The clock falls silent in expectation
of the birth of a new minute. |
