I have two Telechron electric clocks (120v synchronous slaves), one dated 1935, that were made for the US Navy, presumably for use on ships. They are fairly rare to see, and no one else in my usual area of electric clock expertise has any knowledge of them. I'd appreciate any information or history of these, even in general terms.

One is a Telechron "USN Type A" dated 1935, in a waterproof heavy black plastic case, with a thick plexiglass crystal. I have another similar one, missing the waterproof outer case, that seems the same except that it has both GE and Telechron names on the dial and is marked "Type A Mark 2." Both are the same size, with 10" dials.

These are the only GE or Telechron clocks I have ever seen with seconds bits, and the only slaves I have ever seen that will run in reverse.

Each is a synchronous slave with 4 coils (motors), one to run, one to advance, one to reverse, and one that has some kind of locking function involving a little latch above the seconds bit (but I do not know what that is supposed to do). I have no idea what the "correction scheme" was, what sort of master clock was used to control them, or anything else about these clocks.

Anything you can tell me or sources you can suggest suggest would be appreciated!

Steve

Are you sure they were used on a ship? They sound like the type of clock that would have been used on a naval base.

I would love to see photos of them - could you post some? Thanks!

Here are pictures of one of these clocks, removed from the waterproof outer case.

I think they are designed for shipboard rather than base use, as they are just too heavy-duty for anything else, being completely waterproof and so strongly built that almost any impact would not cause damage.

Another interesting feature they have, that I have never seen on a slave clock, is that under a waterproof cap there is a square setting stem that can be reached with a very long clock key. This way they could be used individually.

Another picture from the front

Thanks for the photos. I see what you mean and the note on the one with wiring diagram that says "ship clock" confirms that at least that one was intended to be used on a ship of some kind.

Thanks for the post Steve. I have not seen any of these either. However, it does remind me of a couple of wind-up WWII era ships clocks I have seen with electrical connections built in. One was a Seth Thomas, the other a Chelsea (I bought the Chelsea from a member of Chapter 185). The electrical contacts on my Chelsea must have been intended to send a regular signal to something, such as a slave clock. Does it appear to you that either one of your clocks could have been opperated as slaves to a windup master clock?

Best regards,
Greg

I'm wondering about what kind of ship would need a master and slave clock system. It would make no sense for smaller ships that only needed a few clocks to go to all of this trouble. Perhaps these were designed for very large ships? I am also thinking that it may not be an ideal system for a ship that could be in a battle since the entire system could be put out of service with one unlucky hit as opposed to individual wind up clocks surviving anything but hits to each one leaving all of the others working. Maybe these were designed to go on large transport ships?

If this group has not seen them, I don't feel so ignorant any more!

The two clocks I have (which seem identical except for the dial markings - the other just says "Telechron") could have been corrected by a windup master, but not by one that would just send a periodic impulse. They are synchronous slaves, which will keep time themselves by synchronization with the AC current frequency like a regular electric clock and are only corrected by the master in case of errors, commonly power failures. To do this, more complex correction signals are used - usually either pulses or signals of a certain duration sent at a certain time.

This clock has odd features that make me wonder exactly how it was corrected. The only usual thing is a second motor that advances the clock quickly. It also has a motor that causes it to run quickly in reverse, which I have never seen elsewhere. Finally there is a coil that resembles a motor but I believe locks the seconds bit at the 12-o-clock position. I have also never seen that, but there are many other slave clocks that instead advance the sweep second hand to 12 and stop it there until signalled to start. Probably the same idea.

If you watch the movoe Posiedon Adventure one of these clocks is on the bridge.

I do also have one of these clocks.

Here is a photo.

Your dial numbers were repainted.

I got lucky mine were repainted with waterbase paint and using a wet wash rag brought the dial back. It is white paint with glass embedded in the paint on the numbers.

My other clock, not in the picture, is exactly like yours, with the dial original and luminous, and just the "Telechron" name.

Another but not mine.