Newton County Courthouse Bell Striking

I filmed this when I went for my weekly check on the Newton clock. This is my tower clock that I have kept for several years on a volunteer basis. This is my favorite job due to the county doesn't complain at all because.......I'm volunteering my efforts. This is my hometown clock and cool thing is.....my dad and granddad have worked on this clock in there lifetime as well, some servicing and part replacement.
When I got up there in enough time to here it strike, I realized that I had never posted a video of this clock striking the hour so.....here you go. It is powered by and electric motor due to the sheer amount of weight it would take to make it strike. I really would like for it to be powered by weight again.....future project.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Tower clock
• courthouse clock

[pennyf9]

how come the chime is driven by an electric motor when the clock is weight driven?

[towerclock1843]

@pennyf9

Well.....the county when we restored it didn't want to place the heavy weights back on the chiming mechanism. It takes approx 850lbs to drive the mechanism to make this clock strike mechanically. Hopefully in the near future I can convince them to convert it back totally mechanical. The electric motor was put there in the 40's I believe. It does have a old mecury switch to turn on the strike which is kind of unique.

[pennyf9]

cool! do you have any videos with clock towers that play the Westminster chimes?