Abstract
ELECTRIC clocks have proved a great boon to many householders in the neighbourhood of electric mains. Their time-keeping qualities are far superior to those of ordinary clocks and as they need no conpensating devices and require absolutely no attention, they are much more economical. They are beginning to be used widely for advertising purposes. In Paris a giant public clock has been erected on the Eiffel Tower. It is about half-way up the tower and has two dials each 20 metres in diameter. Although it shows the time in the usual way, it is not fitted with movable hands. Radial rows of electric lamps are provided and these are switched on one after the other and thus indicate the time. The markings of the dials at the five minute intervals are composed of illuminated circles made of green and red lamps. It is thus quite easy to distinguish the position of the main ‘numerals’. At the quarter hour intervals the minute hand position is marked by sixty radial rows of red lamps which start at the centre and run to the edge of the dial. The hours and half-hour intervals are indicated in a similar way by 24 rows of blue-white lamps. In addition to the indication of the time given by the ‘hands’, a powerful light shines for two seconds at each quarter of an hour. The initiative for the erection of this novel clock is due to M. Andre Citroen. It also serves as a conspicuous advertisement—big vertical ‘Citroen’ inscriptions appear on the sides of the tower not occupied by the dials. They light up each time the minute hand of the clock reaches a ±ve minute mark.
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A Giant Electric Clock. Nature 132, 510 (1933). https://doi.org/10.1038/132510c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/132510c0