![]() The most commonly encountered model produced by the Self Winding Clock Co. This is probably the most frequently asked question, and it is sometimes difficult to answer. ![]() What Voltage does my self winding clock need? But more intriguing than the price is the nostalgia and charm of owning a clock which once served such a prominent place in history. Some long case styles are selling for over $2500. The going prices at marts have exceeded $500 for many models-even more for regulators with precision mercury-filled pendulums and beautiful wood cases. Today, these self winding clocks are becoming collector’s items. On the average, batteries would need to be changed about once per year or so. The winding mechanism would trigger generally once per hour, but other intervals were also used. This kept the mainspring at constant torque, producing a very accurate clock. Earlier units used Leclanche wet cells but these were later displaced by the dry cell. In the most popular arrangement, two early 1 ½ volt carbon-zinc dry cells (measuring 2.5 inches round by 6.5 inches long) were hooked in series to produce 3 volts which powered an automatic winding mechanism or motor. Western Union would take care of maintenance (e.g., changing batteries, movement servicing, etc). They would provide a service through Western Union to customers in need of accurate or synchronized timekeeping and charged appropriate fees for this service. The Self Winding Clock Company owned and leased the clocks. The synchronization signals (one per day for the masters in each time zone) were transmitted over Western Union’s telegraph lines to the clocks. Masters located at different sites were synchronized by the Naval Observatory in Washington, DC. A multiplicity of “secondary” clocks at numerous locations were synchronized by a “Master” clock at a central location. The advent of broadly distributed synchronized timekeeping was marked in the 1890’s by the emergence of the self winding clock. There was a need for a centrally synchronized clock system to support the growth of the railroad as the predominant emerging public transportation system, as well as the manufacturing sector during the Industrial Revolution. Even then, the reliability of the distributed power system would be relatively unproven until well into the 1960’s and beyond. Reliable, alternating current line-operated electric clocks would not be available until many decades later. With the advent of the rail transportation industry came the challenge of keeping accurate time between broad varieties of locations.
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