This 1974 Smiths clock - model name: 'Ballyn', has a battery tuning fork movement. Due to the tuning fork resonating this clock does not tick - it hums. The resonating frequency is used to regulate the timing of the clock - which in it's day was one of the most accurate forms of a portable time keeper. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending how you see it) tuning fork movements didn't last long - they were soon replaced by much more accurate quartz movements.
I bought the clock (£2) this morning at the Wimbledon Stadium boot fair. The temperature was zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). I noticed the clock had a movement I didn't have in my collection but was in such a rush to get out of the cold and didn't notice it used a tuning fork until I got home.
Smiths - model: Ballyn - 1974 - tuning fork movement
The movement was made by Jeco of Tokyo and sold under license by Smiths. It is also under license to Bulova who developed the first tuning fork watch.The text on the clock movement reads:
Clock and Watch Division
Lic. Jeco
Pat. 559845
US Pat. 3208287, 3277644
Japan
Lic. Bulova
3 comments:
Hello
I have a clock with exactly the same movement, unfortunatly it runs for about 1/2 an hour then stops. Does anybody know how I can keep it running? cheers.
Have you seen this link:
http://www.electronicspoint.com/tuning-fork-clock-jeco-co-japan-smith-clock-t109282.html
Cheers
Alan
These clocks are 35 to 40 yrs old now and the oil will have solidified. I bought one off Ebay and it did exactly as you describe. I stripped it cleaned it and re-oiled it and it ran fine.
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