How the Atmos clock functions

chaoticmass 9 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I’ve seen so many of these clocks at antique stores, estate sales and such with with IBM plaques on them with someone’s name. Apparently IBM used to gift these to employees for 25 years of service or something to that effect. Given the cost and the potential longevity of the clocks it’s quite a statement for a loyalty gift.

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s0rce a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I wonder why Chloroethane / ethyl chloride was chosen. I don't think I've ever seen this for anything, other than a synthesis precursor to useful stuff.

	▲	Cerium a day ago \| parent [-]
		My guess: it is a relatively safe compound with the right properties to act as a working fluid for this movement. The text linked below mentions the working fluid and the property that the vapor pressure is highly variable over the range of normal room temperatures. Here is a document with details and history about these clocks: https://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~matilsky/documents/Atmos/At...

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dmitrygr a day ago | parent | prev [-]

I got my sister a Atmos VIII as a present a few years back, and it took us a few attempts to get it running at the proper speed via the adjustment lever (the analog world is messy). Now it gloriously stands there, never needing to be touched to keep time.

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adrian_b 20 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Professionals have instruments that measure the precise period of the clock ticks that are heard, so the adjustment lever can be set accurately immediately.

With a computer (or with a smartphone), one could easily improvise an equivalent instrument, by recording the ticks with the microphone and displaying the tick period during adjustment.

	▲	stereo 15 hours ago \| parent [-]
		There’s even a few phone apps that do that

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fmajid 21 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I take it she lives in a blessedly DST-free jurisdiction, then?