September 22, 2008: Corpus Clock

xoxoxoBruce · 09-21-2008, 10:46 PM

From the Telegraph.

Quote:

Prof Stephen Hawking is to unveil a remarkable £1 million clock with no hands that pays tribute to the world's greatest clockmaker.

The Corpus Clock has been invented and designed by Dr John Taylor for Corpus Christi College Cambridge for the exterior of the college's new library building.
Dr Taylor, an inventor and horologist who studied at the College in the 1950s has put £1 million of his own money and five years into the project.

"One of my heroes is John Harrison," he says. Of Harrison's many innovations, he came up with the 'grasshopper escapement', explained Dr Taylor, referring to the device used by Harrison to turn rotational motion into a pendulum motion for timekeeping.

"No one knows how a grasshopper escapement works, so I decided to turn the clock inside out and, instead of making the escape wheel 35 mm across and hidden in the case, it is 1.5 m across and visible with the grasshopper escapement around the outside," said Dr Taylor.

He calls the new version of the escapement a 'Chronophage' (time-eater) - "a fearsome beast which drives the clock, literally "eating away time". It is the largest Grasshopper escapement of any clock in the world.

It's really amazing to watch this work. I imagine, mounted on the outside of the Library building, it'll look quite spectacular, especially at night.
Why did it cost £1 million? Well the stainless face was formed in a secret Dutch underwater explosives laboratory, then gold plated. And two hundred people, including engineers, sculptors, scientists, jewelers, and calligraphers, were involved. A hella big project.

Wiki Link

zippyt · 09-21-2008, 11:23 PM

Verry cool !!

monster · 09-22-2008, 07:23 AM

Just Beautiful. awesome ...in the British usage. mesmerizing, fantastic wonderful, I want one.

classicman · 09-22-2008, 08:28 AM

Wow - just wow. That's what I miss living & working where I do. The culture and ability to see something beautifully created, the architecture and so on. I live and work in a visually unexciting area.

spudcon · 09-22-2008, 09:20 AM

I can get a watch at the Family Dollar Store for six bucks, and it will never use 60 watts.

birdclaw · 09-22-2008, 10:12 AM

I wonder how much crap you get by telling people you are a horologist. No really it means the science of measuring time!

SPUCK · 09-23-2008, 05:39 AM

2M$... The guy missed his calling.

Should'a been a politician.

xoxoxoBruce · 09-23-2008, 07:41 AM

No, no, no, not a politician... he's spending HIS money.

biorogue · 09-23-2008, 02:56 PM

that is sweeeeet

09-21-2008, 11:23 PM	#2
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	Verry cool !! __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

09-22-2008, 07:23 AM	#3
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Just Beautiful. awesome ...in the British usage. mesmerizing, fantastic wonderful, I want one. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

09-22-2008, 08:28 AM	#4
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	Wow - just wow. That's what I miss living & working where I do. The culture and ability to see something beautifully created, the architecture and so on. I live and work in a visually unexciting area. __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

09-22-2008, 09:20 AM	#5
spudcon Beware of potatoes Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY, USA Posts: 2,078	I can get a watch at the Family Dollar Store for six bucks, and it will never use 60 watts. __________________ "I believe that being despised by the despicable is as good as being admired by the admirable."

09-23-2008, 07:41 AM	#8
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	No, no, no, not a politician... he's spending HIS money. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

09-22-2008, 10:12 AM	#6
birdclaw putting the "g" in flight Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 145	I wonder how much crap you get by telling people you are a horologist. No really it means the science of measuring time!

09-23-2008, 05:39 AM	#7
SPUCK Professor Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,911	2M$... The guy missed his calling. Should'a been a politician.

09-23-2008, 02:56 PM	#9
biorogue Rapscallion Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 5	that is sweeeeet

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