I have an Ansonia LaFrance that has a "bell" strike but only on the hour. The bell is marked "A.B.& C. Co. I assume this is Ansonia Brass and Clock Company. It is a cast bell.
There doesn't appear to be anything missing that would have provided for half hour strike. The movement has Geneva stops as seen in the picture. "Ansonia clock company" is in small letters on the left side of the plate and it does not have any city location. The name didn't photograph well. It can be seen just to the right of the Strike winding arbor. The bezel is marked "Pat. Mar. 21, 76".
I have found this model in a reprint of Montgomery Ward 1894/95 catalog but it has 1/2 hour and hour strike. It also specifies "gong" strike.
Anyone have any idea when it may have been made?

Joe

There are some movements that have sort of a cam made from wire on the main arbor. This cam is opposite the wire for letting off the hour strike and at the half hour it pushes the strike lever/hammer back and releases it when the cam has turned beyond the strike lever causing the hammer to hit the bell/gong one time. Check the main arbor for indications that this clock had the same arrangement. This kind of strike does not require power from the strike spring and there is no need for the extra slot in the count wheel.

John,
I have that kind of 1/2 hour strike on a New Haven. This clock mounts on a piece of wood attached to the case back panel and would have no clearance for such a set-up.
The lifting piece is odd looking though. It is fabricated from sheet brass and more or less floats on the center arbor. It has a slot, cut at an angle, that is around a pin in the arbor. The angle allows the lifter to slip past the warning lever if the hands are turned backwards.

Joe

Joseph,
The "LaFrance" was made in 1880. The name of the Ansonia clock companies changed several times. In Tran's Ansonia book the list is as follows:

Ansonia Clock Co., Ansonia Conn. 1850 - 1854
Ansonia Brass Co. 1855 - 1869
Ansonia Brass and Battery Co. 1855 - 1869
Ansonia Brass and Copper Co. 1869 - 1877
Ansonia Clock Co., Ansonia conn 1878 - 1883
Ansonia Clock Co. Brooklyn, NY 1878 - 1929


If the label were there it would could have said either "Ansonia, Conn." or " Brooklyn, NY"as the location.

The letters on the bell stood for Ansonia Brass and Copper Co. This was the name from 1868 to 1877. I'm sure there was a supply of bells left from an earlier run. They didn't throw these things away when the company changed names.

I am trying to picture the configuration of your movement. Where is the bell located? Many that had a bell, used the bell for the half hour strike using a by pass set up as John described, and a gong for the hour strike. The bells in those instances are located on the back plate of the movement.

Where is the bell in your clock located?

In Tran's Ansonia book the "La France" is pictured with either a head or urn on the top of the clock.

I will see what I can find out about the movement.

Hope this helps.

Tom,
Here is a full view of the movement showing the bell. The second shot is of the lifter wrapped around the center arbor.
There is a label on the back that is barely readable. I can just make out "LaFrance" and New York at the bottom. The label looks like it was in the fire they had in 79.

Joe

Joe,
Thanks for the pictures. I love a movement with Geneva stops.

I am stumped. I don't recall seeing that type of trip for the strike. It is not something I recall seeing before. Maybe someone else has some information on it.

As it is now your clock strikes the hour but not the half hour. Perhaps is is meant to only strike on the hour. I don't see how, with that floating lift mechanism, it could also trip the half hour. A very interesting piece. I have never seen one that allows the hands to be turned backwards. Maybe a prototype???????

I went to look at my Ansonia kitchen/shelf clock and it strkes only on the hour. I will look at the movement out of the case later today. Note that the movement in the La France (like my kitchen) does not have the typical Ansonia arched top on the plates.

I noticed that the typical arch plate was not there. The Ansonia book shows only two movements, neither the one so easily recognizable as Ansonia. It did have a picture of your movement, but did not describe it in terms of when it struck. The picture was from the front and I really couldn't see the details between the plates.

I checked my other Ansonia mvts. and none had the strike tripping mechanism yours has.

I will continue to see what I can find.

How common is it to see clocks like this one with the movement attached to the back? All I can recall seeing had the movement attached to the front of the case with the pendulum on the back of the movement. Unless the bottom is open, it would require taking the movement out of the case to remove or replace the bob.

This movement looks like a very short drop kitchen clock movement. At least in the mounting. The bottom is open and it is somewhat tricky to install the bob and access the rating nut.
I have made a 10 sec. video clip of the lifter operation but it is a 5.7 meg. file. Not good for emailing. It uses Apple Quicktime to play back. If anyone would like to see it I will burn a CD and mail it to them. Would need address.
My email is <n0fnf@sbcglobal.net>

Joe

Here are a couple pictures of my Ansonia kitchen clock with the movement without the usual arch. It does not have Geneva stops, but there are holes in the front plate on each side of the winding arbor one above and one below the arbor, in about the same position as on Joseph's clock. The plates are fastened to the pillars with pins. This movement has the usual bent wire at the main arbor to release the strike train, so it's a common variety. The dial pan has a patent date of March 2? 76, can't decipher the second digit in the day of the month and the dial is marked "Ansonia Clock Company U.S.A.

Closer shot of the movement

That is a beauty John. I wish my Ansonia kitchen clock was in as good condition. I have the Aden model that has the topmost part of the crown broken off. It is a work in progress. I will post before and after pics. when I get finished.
The dial pan on my LaFrance is the same as on the Aden except it has a bezel hinge soldered to it. It is marked "Pat. Mar. 21, 76". I would think that is the date on yours.

Joe

John and Joe very neat clocks and thanks for showing them.