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http://www.thetimeworkshop.uk/gents-c40a-waiting-train-movement-for-sale/With the permission of the owner I have copied and resized the excellent original images from The Time Workshop website.
It must be remembered that all WT movements were hand built at the Gents factory. Steady improvements were incorporated over time rather than sudden overnight changes. WTs are rarely found for sale and those which have appeared on eBay [for example] have not always been kindly treated. To find a restored and tested example of this age, quality and completeness is very unusual indeed!
The original pendulum is included but not shown in these images. It is visible in the video at the bottom of the page.
This Gents Pulsynetic C40A WT movement, which has been restored by a turret clock expert, is offered for sale. It has been running well on test to ensure reliability.The details of its many brass components certainly suggest pre-WW2. Possibly early 1930s? There is so little information in the public domain on exact dating that one must seek clues in the shape and materials of its construction and make "educated" comparisons.
There are no plated components which would date it as possibly early 1930s.The coils lack of later, concealing, protective wax [late 1930s] and even later 'bandages' suggest an early example.
The 'hooked' form of the steel gathering pawl is also early.
While the support boss for the contact assembly is horizontally slotted, for adjustment, so not of the very earliest style.
The pendulum drive armature has a roller rather than the very earliest 'hook' form. The sinuous form of the cast mainframe over the electromagnets is definitely a pre-war sign. Later frames had a diagonal slope just here.
It is nice to see a full bevel gear cluster, correctly silvered time setting dial and pointer below the large crown wheel to the motionwork. The Hipp Toggle damper is also present. As is the eccentric depth stop drum and the time setting handle and crank. An unusually complete example.
The lacquering to the brasswork is not well seen in these images but adds a quality touch.
I have no data on when the Gents WTs moved away from the early semi-mat, black finish to the later marine blue-greens. Or even later battleship greys. Though black certainly looks highly appropriate against all the lacquered brasswork highlights. This always reminds me of glittering gold jewellery laid on a black, velvet cushion. All very desirable in any WT. Even more so on one which could be 85 years old!
Gents' WT design was a very successful, compact and powerful electric turret clock movement. It made weight-driven clocks completely obsolete overnight. What made it even more remarkable was its timekeeping stability, reliability and precision despite constantly changing weather conditions.
When controlled by its master clock's time signals it provided seconds per-week-accuracy to public dials. The WT in larger sizes went on to drive the hands of record breaking sizes of clock dials around the globe. Such dials were completely beyond the ability of any practical or affordable weight driven clocks.
Now add in an end to the need for regular rewinding, its low maintenance and only occasional lubrication. The lack of massive weight chutes allowed a WT installation to be placed where clocks had never previously found a home. Dials appeared on factory chimneys, war memorials and on office blocks and towers where they ran reliably without constant attention. The WT was not only an engineering marvel but an architectural ones as well. Even this very compact C40A movement could manage the hands of exposed 6' dials in all weathers.
For the avid collector the WT offers the enjoyment of watching a real pendulum swing. This is no 'soulless' electric motor. The infamous Hipp toggle is renowned for its hypnotic effect on the fascinated observer. As the toggle rattles quietly across the V-block it almost fell into the notch on that last swing... but then keeps going... and going... until, finally it drops in and closes the contacts. The pendulum is given a push by the huge electromagnetic coils... and so the game begins all over again.
Here is a video of this WT in action.
https://vine.co/v/i1HZUYEJUhB
Sellers website link:
http://www.thetimeworkshop.uk/gents-c40a-waiting-train-movement-for-sale/
Click on any image for an enlargement.
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