Located in front of Jacobs Hall in Warren College, the over nine foot tall clock display's our college's engineering capabilities. This is why it is so valuable to us that this clock should be working smoothly and beautifully. The gear box can be seen suspended within the lower half of the enclosure. The three faces above hide the hand mechanism which has been nearly perfectly preserved. A glass plaque inside explains the clock's functionality, list the original creators, and list original sponsors. A second plaque hidden inside displays a short list of alumni who completed the clocks construction.
Classic face
International face
Minimalist face
'About The Clock' plaque
'Finisher's Club' plaque
Rediscovered by Finisher's Club member, Michelle Ketcham, the Clock Design webpage includes some information on the team, design, and mechanism. Also found on this archived site are photos taken during and after the clocks construction.
The outer framing is made of steel, with solar panels and lights on top. The clear panels are currently plastic, since the previous glass was unfortunately shattered. These panels are held in place with aluminum inner framings. The frame stands on a short concrete foundation. Weathering has taken a large toll on the enclosure over the last 30 years.
Rust and debris within the enclosure
Rust accumulation at base of inner frame
Side supports of outer frame
One of three bolts securing frame to concrete foundation
Displayed proudly in the center of the clock is the gearbox and pendulum. Using a combination of brass, invar, aluminum, and steel, the gearbox holds all necessary parts for ticking.
Main gear train (angled profile)
Escapement wheel and pallets
Main gear train (side profile)
Differential and weight system
Transfer gears to clock hands
Gearbox CAD design created by TRI
This testbed was created to track quantitative changes following each improvement made to the gearbox. The testbed is composed of the frame, temperature sensor, IR break beam sensor, accelerometer, and camera.
Frame CAD design
Fully assembled testbed with frame, c-clamps, and sensors.
IR break beam sensor set-up
Accelerometer prototype set-up
Final accelerometer set-up
This section displays before and after pictures of all changes/improvements made to the gearbox. Shown to the left is MAE Machine Shop manager, Tom Chalfant, aiding in the pin replacement that got the clock ticking again. Other changes shown include suspension spring replacement, differential replacement, new bearings, and pallet reconstruction.
Original suspension spring
New suspension spring
Original differential system
New differential system
Original escapement wheel
New escapement wheel
Original pallet
New pallets
Along with the replaced components, a major goal was to rejuvenate the aesthetics of the clock through cleaning. Not only does this enhance the clock visually, but also boosts performance through a decrease in friction.