Chicago Time Lock Company, Chicago, Illinois, Marsh model 2, v.2

This was the second version of the Marsh model 2. The case has been changed for use within a Cannonball safe, adding a half-metal door with eyelets for the winding arbors. A fourth hole would be present if there was the optional mechanism was to hold the wound time lock open during business hours, see prior example of Marsh model 2, v.1.(1) The manufacture of the case was also changed where all of the movement mounting points were cast into the case rather than being separately riveted posts to rear of the case. A separate rear mounting flange was added for the Cannonball Safe installation taking the place of mounting holes drilled directly in the case rear as in version 1, see below.

The nickel plate with acid-etched daisy flower design was quickly replaced with a plain satin bronze or nickel. In fact, this example is the only one with this case design this author has seen outside of the Harry C. Miller collection, Nicholasville, KY. (see photo below). Production records for Chicago Time Lock are not known to survive.

The patent referred to on the dials is the same as that illustrated for their Marsh model 1. That's interesting since there are many differences in the design of the time lock movements between the Marsh model 1 and this one. Even the snubber bar and movement levers are very different. Perhaps the patent designation was there to act as a protection against litigation, though by this time most of that activity had greatly diminished.

Below is the only other example this author has seen of any version of the Marsh model 2 with the acid etched, daisy design, nickel plate case (although there surely are others) and is from the Harry C. Miller collection, Nicholasville, Kentucky. Note the missing plating on the door above the first time lock on the left, circled area, in a similar location to to the example illustrated above. Perhaps Chicago Time Lock had unsatisfactory results with the plating company for this particular finish and for that reason it was quickly discontinued. In other time locks with this type of finish there is often evidence of damage consistent with corrosion and wear but rarely from entire sections of the plate lifting away from the case's base metal. This indicates an improper base metal preparation before the plating process. The second photo shows a side by side comparison of a Chicago time lock dial next to the successor company's, Diebold. The Chicago enamel finish as well as the artwork are less refined indicating a change in the enameling supplier.

The case for the Marsh model 2 quickly evolved. The first photo is from the example illustrated and is case #A106. Notice the split mark around the inside perimeter and is highlighted by the fact that the lower half has a gold paint application. The movement mounts are integrally cast within the lower section. A careful examination reveals that the case was made in two sections. The second photo shows the same style split glass door model, case #A148. By this time the case itself is milled from a single casting and the movement mounts were separate posts and riveted into the back of the case. The lever set connects the bolt dog through the side of the case whereas the model illustrated dogs from below the case.

The first close up of the case corner reveals the witness marks for a mated pair of pieces for the case. Notice how the lower half has a corner that is square and deeper than the rounded corner above. If this were one cast piece, that sharp corner would have carried through and the material would not have been available to make the less shallow rounded corner above. The second photo is the later case showing a conventional milling of the bronze casting as seen in most time lock cases.

One of the movements had a broken roller jewel, left. The escapement wheel, right, illustrates how dirty and full of crud the movement was. I found two dead bugs so I guess one could say the movement was buggy.

The repaired jewel is in place and the remaining parts are ready for reassembly.