N° d'objet
99/27
Créateur
Description
A clock gun, a form of mechanical bird scarer which works by using a timer to explode cartridges - as the hands of the clock go round, a knife edge on one of the hands cuts threads which release weights which strike the pins on the cartridges which then explode. It is marked 'J. Hall's Patent Clock Gun'.
Description physique
1 clock gun: metal; good conditionGrey sheet metal [galvanised] container with a hinged top part which opens up to give access to the contents. The container stands on four black painted metal feet. Inside there is a 12 hour clock with 2 hands - one of which has a knife edge - and notches round the face. Behind are 12 guide tubes into which weights are put. These balance on threads which feed from adjustable pins onto the notches on the clock. The cartridges are put into the barrels at the base from the back (a wooden stick in the container might be to help push them in place). A metal breech bar keeps the cartridges in place. There is a carrying handle on the top of the container. As the hands of the clock go round the threads are cut by the knife edge on the black hand. This releases the weights at intervals. The weights strike the pins on the cartridges which then explode. A painted inscription on the front reads: 'J. Hall's Patent Clock Gun, Station -RoadWorks, Wigton, Cumberland', and on the back: 'Danger'. Instructions for working the clock gun are pasted inside the lid.
<DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>11. <B>Mechanical Bird Scarer</B><P> 99/27</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
Historique d'archive
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Museum of English Rural Life) – 'Standard museum name: CLOCK GUN // Accession number: 99/27 // … // Recorder: JMB // Date: 15.9.99 // Description: This consists of a grey sheet metal (galvanised) container with a hinged top part which opens up to give access to the contents. The container stands on four black painted metal feet. Inside there is a 12 hour clock with 2 hands – one of which has a knife edge and notches round the face. Behind are 12 guide tubes into which weights are put. These balance on threads which feed from adjustable pins onto the notches on the clock. The cartridges are put into the barrels at the base from the back. A metal breech bar keeps the cartridges in place. A wooden stick in the container might be to help push them in place. There is a carrying handle on the top of the container. As the hands of the clock go round the threads are cut by the knife edge on the black hand. This releases the weights at intervals. The weights strike the pins on the cartridges which then explode. // Painted inscription on front: J. HALL’S PATENT CLOCK GUN // STATION ROAD, WORKS // WIGTON, CUMBERLAND. // DANGER (on rear) // Instructions for working the Clock Gun are pasted inside the lid. // Dimensions: Height: 47.0 cm Depth: 20.0 cm Width: 30.0 cm Depth (including feet): 55.0 cm’
Lieu de création
Wigton
Nom d'objet
Matériel
Technique
Dimensions
- Height 470 mm
- Width 300 mm
- Depth 200 mm
- Depth 550 mm