Clocks .... in space!

I'm not super worried about mine. I used an (admittedly uncalibrated) CD-V700 geiger counter to check the markings on my Golden Hour, and though the meter shows a fair amount of deflection with the probe right near the clock with the 'beta shield' open, it shows much less with it closed, and next to nothing when I pull the probe a few feet away. Also, later examples (post-1965 or so) Golden Hours were produced without radium paint, according to this page, so you don't have to worry about all of these clocks.

I knew that was the rate adjustment; I just had no idea exactly how far out from 'normal' it was. I also wasn't sure exactly which direction you turned the screw in order to make it go faster or slower. After some experimentation, I'm pretty sure I've got it down pat at this point, and it's fairly close to accurate.
-Adam
It'll vary as the cell drops emf. That's why a modern alkaline cell is prefer to a carbon zinc in these things. Fwiw, think of this as a slo-mo Accutron with a balance wheel instead of a tuning fork, otherwise almost identical. An even slower slo-mo version is the Kundo Electronic pendulum clocks, virtually identical to the Accutron tuning fork timepieces.
http://sound.whsites.net/clocks/kundo.html
 
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Off topic, I found that I could place my turntable stylus on my Accutron wrist watch and listen to the tuning fork.

(I didn't have much to do that day!) :D
 
It'll vary as the cell drops emf. That's why a modern alkaline cell is prefer to a carbon zinc in these things. Fwiw, think of this as a slo-mo Accutron with a balance wheel instead of a tuning fork, otherwise almost identical. An even slower slo-mo version is the Kundo Electronic pendulum clocks, virtually identical to the Accutron tuning fork timepieces.
http://sound.whsites.net/clocks/kundo.html
The Sunbeam heavy duty c-cell installed in my GE clock was installed when I got the clock. I remember hearing somewhere that early battery-powered clocks specifically called for carbon-zinc/heavy duty batteries for some reason. Anyway, I checked it earlier, and it was behind by three minutes. I set the adjustment ahead a bit, and we'll see what happens.

As far as the mechanism goes, I think it's closer in lineage to the Ebauches SA "Dynotron" electronic wristwatches from the '60s and '70s. Balance wheel, using a transistor as a switch for the coils which cause it to oscillate. Speaking of Accutrons, I have a Chelsea ship's clock which, for some unknown reason, uses a Bulova battery movement of some sort. Unfortunately, it isn't running at the moment. :( What does run, however, is another Chelsea oddity I have, a table clock they made for a jewelery store called Bigelow, Kennard & Co. which uses, of all things, a Telechron electric movement:
chelseatele1.jpg

chelseatele5.jpg


I have one of those Kundo clocks, though I haven't taken a picture of it yet. Still runs, though like with the GE, regulation can be a challenge. Someone has soldered an alkaline D-cell battery to the wires which once connected to the original battery pack; trying to come up with a better solution using three or four AAs in parallel if I can find a battery holder capable of being modified for that rather than having them in series. I did find another oddball early battery-powered clock recently, a Poole table clock with a wooden case from the 1920s.
Off topic, I found that I could place my turntable stylus on my Accutron wrist watch and listen to the tuning fork.

(I didn't have much to do that day!) :D
Yep, Accutron watches are fun! I have a few of them, plus the Chelsea ship's clock I mentioned above. Hoping to find one of the fancier Accutrons someday, like the Astronaut or SpaceView, but I'll settle for the plain models for now.
-Adam
 
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