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Alarm-clock Germany (?), late 17th - early 18th century In 2004 the Laboratory for Scientific Restoration of Clocks and Musical Mechanisms directed by M.P. Guryev carried out the restoration of an alarm clock of German manufacture dating from the late 17th - early 18th century. The alarm clock is a rare example of a "firing" clock, with mechanism that acts as a timer and marks the hours by firing. The mechanism consists of a special firearms flintlock, metal plate, powder flask and wax candle. It can be used to tell time during hours of darkness. The flintlock is released only after the timer gives the signal. The flint then strikes a metal plate, releasing sparks which ignite the powder in a special chamber. It gives off a sound similar to a shot from firearms. The ignited powder sets the wick of the wax candle aflame, and it shifts from horizontal position to vertical. At the time it came into the Laboratory for restoration, the frame and the clock mechanism were very dirty and some parts were damaged by considerable corrosion. The single hour hand was missing. The movement, the timer and the flintlock did not operate due to missing small parts. The restoration was carried out by restorer L.D. Raigorodsky. The frame of the clock, the face, the parts of the movement, the timer and the flintlock were cleaned and dirt was washed away. The Gal chain was evened out and the fusee was restored to working condition. Rough edges found on the surface of the cams in the flintlock were removed and the working surfaces of the lock were evened out and polished. The link connecting the timer mechanism and the firing mechanism was reestablished. The lost hour hand and the pressure ring were recreated. The alarm clock is now in working condition. |
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Hermitage Museum |
