Warren
Telechron, Inc., Ashland, Massachusetts, USA. Model Type A, serial no.
454, c. mid 1930's.
A few parts needed attention.
The switch which actuates once per minute to an external slave clock needed its
contacts replaced. These were paper-thin because the contact's tail rides upon a cam
attached to the escapement wheel arbor. This a curious arrangement for a master clock,
something that one would not expect in a precision device. Having the switch
touching the escapement wheel must cause some disturbance in its rate. This is the the
wheel in the train one would last want to have any disturbances to. But apparently the
clock was accurate enough for the job given its nearly universal acceptance as a power
station frequency regulator. A French master clock made by Collin-Wagner about 40 years earlier in 1886 gets
around this problem of driving the contact switch through the use of a remontoire; an
elegant and visually impressive system which mechanically seperates the escapement from
the rest of the movement as well as the switch gear.
Next the upper movement which serves as the backup unit in case of failure of the
lower, main unit motor had the original wires ripped from the coil. Since this was the
first Telechron I had dealt with I did not simply replace the motor coil. There are many
outlets to get these and from an electrical safety issue is the best way to go. However,
at the time I did not know this. So I dug out the leadoff wires from the coil and
reattached the wires. Later black epoxy was used to insulate the area. The rest of the
scews and bolt fittings were later refurbished.