How does a Grandfather Clock work?

Answer 1

A longcase clock, also tall-case clock, grandfather clock or floor clock, is a freestanding, weight-driven, pendulum clock with the pendulum held inside the tower, or waist of the case. Clocks of this style are commonly around 1.8-2.4m (6-8 feet) tall. The case often features elaborately carved ornamentation on the hood, or bonnet, which surrounds and frames the dial, or clock face. The English clockmaker William Clement is credited with the development of this form in 1670. Most longcase clocks are striking clocks, which means they sound the time on each hour or fraction of an hour.

The terms "grandfather", "grandmother", and "granddaughter" have been applied to longcase clocks. Although there is no specifically defined difference among these terms, the general perception seems to be that a clock smaller than 1.5m (5 feet) is a granddaughter; over 1.5m (5 feet) is a grandmother; and over 1.8m (6 feet) is a grandfather.

Traditionally, such clocks were made with two types of movement: eight-day movements and 30-hour movements. A clock with an eight-day movement required winding only once a week, while the generally lower-priced 30-hour clock had to be wound every day. Eight-day clocks are often driven by two weights - one driving the pendulum and the other the striking mechansim, which usually consisted of a bell or chimes. Such movements usually have two keyholes on either side of the dial to wind each one (as can be seen in the Thomas Ross clock illustrated to the right). By contrast, 30-hour clocks often had a single weight to drive both the pendulum and the chimes. Some 30-hour clocks were made with false keyholes, for customers who wished that guests to their home would think that the household was able to afford the more expensive eight-day clock.

Answer 2

There are basically three aspects of clock design that have to function to tell time:
1. A power source - usually a battery now days, but sometimes a spring. In a Grandfather Clock, the power source is a set of weights. Some of these drive the clock, others may drive the chimes, or animations included in the particular design.
2. A time-keeping mechanism - usually an electrical circuit linked to some high frequency crystal of a known frequency. In the Grandfather Clock, this is an escapement which uses the known frequency of a swinging pendulum to time the mechanism.
3. A display of the current time - usually a set of pointers called 'hands' which, by their design, can be read by their position on the visible part of the clock, usually called the 'face.' for the Grandfather Clock, there is no second hand. There may be another indicator which shows the current phase of the moon.

;-D You can actually get a kit to make your own Grandfather Clock!

Answer 3

In the first place the correct name is a long case clock and it works like any other clock in that there is some motive power which is released gradually under an adjustable control. In the case of the long case clock this is generally some weights which you periodically have to pull back up to the top and they provide the motive power as gravity makes them fall. The release of the power is provided by a pendulum and every time it swings it releases some of the power which will turn the dial and gives the pendulum a a tiny push so keep it going. The length of the pendulum controls it's speed so by lengthening the pendulum you can make the clock work slower because the swing takes longer and by shortening it you can make it work quicker because the swing is shorter so by adjustment you can make the clock accurate

Answer 4

Naming of grandfather clocks unique names for grandfather clocks In 1670 William Clement made the pendulum on his clocks longer in an attempt to make the clocks save greater desirable time. the hot taller clocks had very lengthy situations, and grew to become ordinary as lengthy case clocks. besides the fact that, those early grandfather clocks got here in easy lengthy wood packing containers with wood doorways that opened to the front. maximum persons began calling the early grandfather clocks, coffin clocks extremely of lengthy case clocks. yet why can we call them grandfather clocks In 1876 Henry Clay artwork stayed on the George inn. The George inn had an previous grandfather clock that not labored. whilst Henry asked concerning the clock he replaced into advised that it had constantly saved appropriate time until eventually the Jenkins brothers (who used to possess the inn) died. on the 2nd the final brother died the grandfather clock stopped and it replaced into in no way repaired. Henry desperate to write down a music concerning the clock which grew to become very nicely-known. interior the music he spoke of the lengthy case clock as "my grandfather's clock." After that maximum persons began calling all lengthy case clocks, grandfather clocks.

Answer 5

well some you just wind up, but I have one with three weights that hang on chains, the weights pull the chains that make the clock chime and work.
email me if you need any more help.

Answer 6

Is this another wind up?

Answer 7

TICK THEN TOCK THEN TICK THEN TOCK.