Clock tower of the Grand Temple in La Chaux-de-Fonds
The tower clock from the Grand Temple in La Chaux-de-Fonds was built in 1860 by order of the city with financial support from the local clock inspection agency by Armand Collin (Paris) and installed as a normal clock in the tower of the Reformed Church (Grand Temple). There it served the watch metropolis as a time base for many years until it was finally brought to the International Watch Museum . When choosing the manufacturer, the Swiss watch specialists were well aware that at that time no tower clock manufacturer could match the Parisian Collin, who had been running the workshop since 1852 as the successor to Bernard-Henri Wagner .
technology
The clock is made as a cast construction in flat frame construction, similar to the well-known clocks by Jean-Baptiste Schwilgué from Strasbourg. The quarter and right hour reference works are built on a massive steel frame . In the middle, the movement sits directly above the hour strike. All wheels are cast bronze , the drives mostly hollow drives. Massive shoots are only present in the inhibition area. The striking mechanisms are arranged horizontally, with the rollers on the outside. As is customary in the Jura, the hour strike is triggered again separately at the hour mark a few minutes after the full hour. The striking mechanism is controlled with a lock washer .
For the precision of the clockwork it is important that the clockwork has a pin gear (scissor escapement) according to Amant with constant force. A gravity-driven differential gear in the auxiliary elevator ( remontoir d'égalité ) decouples the escapement from the variable loads of the pointer drive and the striking mechanism, based on the proven principle of Henri Wagner. The construction is extremely solid and elegantly made in bronze and brass. The movement is carefully and precisely executed in all parts. The sinkers made of neatly planed cast brass are elegantly curved. Special versions ( chatons ) were used for the bearings . On the whole, Collin took great care to ensure a symmetrical arrangement.
The large steel bevel gears visible in the foreground serve to pull up the work set up in the tower from a lower level. Such an elevator device is available for each of the four plants. To ensure that the watch does not stop while it is being wound, Collin has attached additional differential gears to the cylinder wheels.
The power reserve of the watch is 25 hours.
Individual evidence
- ↑ The inscription reads: "Commandée par la Ville de La Chaux-de-Fonds et acquise par une subvention du Bureau de contrôle en l'année 1860"
Coordinates: 47 ° 6 '14.4 " N , 6 ° 49' 58.5" E ; CH1903: 554021 / 217180