Weird mechanical digital clock

[glawatz]

I had a clock radio in college (the 80's) with one of these displays, and it may indeed have been a Sankyo (the clock actually stopped working and I replaced it with an LED clock of far less quirky nature). Cool to see it again!

[JimTheZombieHunter]

Cool. I recall the 'technology', and you're correct - it was cheaper to produce the mechanism than utilize LED's but LED's were the high tech look to sell. Interestingly the first I saw was backlit and displayed blue - 25 years before a cheap blue 7 segment LED was produced. However, I've never seen a battery operated model like yours. That motor will be easy to match close enough - the escapement keeps the time independant of motor speed. Worth repairing IMO.

[ELTIGREROCKS10NEW]

I dont have the same exact clock but 2 days ago I got a clock with the same mechanism at a thirft store for about $2.50

[WelshMullet]

One going for a few quid on ebay right now

[compu85]

Do you want to sell that? I'd love to try my hand at fixing it.

[cumesoftware]

Nice! The clock was cleverly built at that time.

[JGHDVCFGT]

The numbers overlap to keep the size of the drums down.

[fronkenpoop]

Really nice mechanism.

[southport97]

ǝɯıʇ sı uo ʎɯ ǝpıs 'sǝʎ ʇı sı

[motabikeboy]

it isnt digital if its mechanical? am i right?

[jforb427]

@motabikeboy The display is digital. Numbers...not hands.

[motabikeboy]

@jforb427

oh ok. cool. thaNKS

[particleman1701]

Very interesting. I enjoyed this.

[rezelkins]

I have a fully working one in white case and orange numbers, its mains powered, looks like new, very weird clock indeed

[classicnz]

Bingo, I finally found one, slightly broken but I have a spare motor unit which I'd grabbed from a closing repair shop.

I found 3 weird mechanical digit clocks in the same charity store:

The Digiglo.

One that has 3 drums with 5 (mins) or 6 panels (hrs) which flip on each rotation to number 1-5 or 1-6 and 7-0 or 6-12.

Another huge "7 segment" clock that uses bulbs and an electromechanical cam and contact system, but it sadly needs serious internal restoring even though the case is mint.

[uxwbill]

That is a seriously cool clock. I'd have expected the patterns on the wheels to look like seven segment numbers.

[robot797]

'me buy?

[jforb427]

@robot797 me no have no more

[amorykane]

wow, Ive actually got one of these and its still working! Difference is that mine is mains electric powered (220volts) it has a white case and the 'digits are dayglo orange. The model number on the paper label on the base is very faded but looks like "202H"

[classicnz]

I had one as a kid, wow, never thought I'd ever see one again, I've been keeping my eyes out but never seen one since until here today. I have managed to collect numerous other mechanical "digital" clocks but never one of these again.

[rockabillycat1954]

Don't think I've seen one of these before. I've had a couple flipper style digital clocks over the years but not one of these, NEAT!

[asdrubalio]

Funny :)

[pizdiceanu]

TRY 2 THINGS:SANDPAPER THE "WEIRD LITTLE SWITCH"from 2'11''

re-wind the electrical connections  in the white caps.that's because the engine runs at high current-hundreds of miliamps.

[tin701]

cool

[ahonda55]

AMAZING

[lumabi25]

That certainly IS a strange clock. Someone must have stayed up nights to figure out how to fit the ten digits onto each drum without actually printing them normally. Instead they printed funny shapes that would display correctly when seen through the mask at the front. Brilliant idea!

It would be interesting to play around with motors though. Never know your luck.

[iHeartMagic]

WITCH MECHANICS! that clock looked pretty hot all closed up though.

[pafcjon2]

THAT CLOCK IS SO COOL

[Amishman35]

Replace the motor with a spring, and you've got the Faerytale Era Digital Clock...at midnight the princess's carriage turns into a pumpkin! :-)

[VideyoJunkei]

the motors are usually shot on these, but a bit of oil may get it going...

[coolbluelights]

wow that is really weird! ^^ why don't you try to fix it? I bet all it needs is lubrication

[gavincurtis]

I used to have a Sankyo clock radio with that exact clock mechanism. Definitely a keeper.

[VideyoJunkei]

I have 3 mech clocks...but not this type! I WILL LOOK FOR IT!

[me4cs]

..wow

[PooManchoo2]

I used to have one of those, but never knew they were like that inside..

Cool!