# The Mystery Barrel



## Thomasr (Oct 11, 2011)

Got this clock movement a while back, gave it a service but have no idea what the barrel on the side does,

Here's what i know:

the barrel is sealed at both end and is rivetted to the arbour its one

It has 3 raised pint on each edge

It is attached to the motion work and does a full rotation in 3 hours

Doesn't Attach to anything else

Anyone got a clue what it might do/ did?


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Very interesting movement..................

Have seen something similar in an old clock book, the mechanism drove a belt which drove a round gauge with a needle on it inside a water treatment works, donkeys years old......... will have a rummage through some old books. Interesting the way the movement would sit on a "V" shaped seatboard. It looks a large mainspring barrel as well so a lot of power in reserve to drive something, just driving a a pair of hands would need a much smaller spring.............


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## Thomasr (Oct 11, 2011)

did seem excessive, the fusee seems a little overkill too, but i guess thats how its made, no idea on age either, am guessing 19th century


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Strange indeed - - what could possibly happen once every three hours, eight times a day that would need timing like that :wallbash:

Ship's bells? or are they six hourly - - not being an ex Naval man I'm guessing?

Reminder to a watchman to do his rounds?

(it's all *GO* here, sitting thinking when I should be drinking coffee :lol: there should be a twiddling thumbs icon! )


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

If the barrel has three raised 'cams' and rotates once every three hours, then one cam would pass a fixed point every hour; so would actuate whatever it was originally connected to every hour?

So, an hourly timer?


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## dobra (Aug 20, 2009)

Are the three cams fixed or spring loaded? A roll of paper could be driven by the cam drum, under a pen or stylus in a display case - for weather, temperature etc etc

Mike


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## Thomasr (Oct 11, 2011)

all fixed cams, very odd


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## Who. Me? (Jan 12, 2007)

Can't really help, other than observe that there is a guide over one side of the barrel, under which the pins/studs/'cams'?) pass.

That looks to me that those pins/whatever are there to engage with holes/perforations on whatever was on the drum, to prevent slippage. Three sets of pins at 60Âº apart would ensure that one set was always fully engaged with the perforations (although more pins would have provided better 'grip').

The guide would prevent what ever was engaged with the pins from jumping off. Is there any evidence that there was ever another guide on the other side?

How much resistance can the drum overcome? Could it have moved a drive-belt for a complication (e.g. those automata/figures that come in and out on some buildings)?

Apologies if that's nonsense. I know nothing about clocks, so I can't tell if that's a clock that would have gone in a bell-tower for instance, or if it's a really large clock that would have gone in a case 'indoors'. The barrel does look like it should drive a belt though and the pins look like they're there to prevent slippage of that belt.


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