Westclox Electric Clock Motor History
“”However, we soon realized that we needed a self-starting synchronous clock, so later that year produced the first type “F” self-starting motor. . .We were about to offer a line of self starting clocks. . . . when, in December 1930, the General Time Instruments Corporation . . . owning the Western Clock company (“Big Ben”) and Seth Thomas Clock Company expressed an interest in using the type “F” motor in their electric clocks. As we could not sell motors to any other concern than Hamilton-Sangamo, the upshot of the matter was that Mr. Ralph Matthiessen, President of G.T.I. corporation, offered to buy the Hamilton-Sangamo Corporation, and thus obtain the exclusive rights to use all of our motors, A.C. and D.C., for clock purposes, as well as the established business of the Hamilton-Sangamo Corporation. The business was therefore sold to G.T.I. Corporation in April, 1931, and Hamilton and Sangamo retired from the clock business, with considerable loss, but with much valuable experience.””
“To meet the synchronous clock competition, they developed a non self starting synchronous motor during the spring of 1930. In August, a new line of clocks was ready for market. According to Robert C. Lanphier in Forty Years of Sangamo:
General Time Instruments Corporation (which had been formed in 1930 as a holding company for Western Clock Company and Seth Thomas) purchases the Hamilton-Sangamo Corporation.
Quote from September 13, 1927 monthly report from general manager to board of directors: “Work on electric clocks has been progressing and four applications for patents of Electric clocks have been filed by our men.”
1928
Quote from February 19, 1929 annual report from the general manager
to the Board of directors: “In accordance with appropriation made
by the Board April 10, 1928, we acquired the patents and patent
applications owned by William H. Greenleaf for $50,000, and an
agreement was entered into whereby Mr. Greenleaf will be employed
by us for a period of five years at a salary of $10,000 per year,
during which time any patents he may produce will be assigned
to us.”
Sterling Clock Co. (Meridan, CT) purchased by Western Clock Company
and moved to LaSalle. (They were a maker of electrically wound
automobile clocks).
Quote from February 19, 1929 annual report from Western Clock Co.
General Manager to Board of Directors: “On May 21, 1928, we purchased
the outstanding Common and Preferred Stock of the Sterling Clock
Company, for the sum of $261587.65. The machinery, tools, etc.
have been moved here and installed in our factory, having been
purchased by this Company at the book value of $63099.38.”
“Considerable progress has been made in the development of this
division and we are now producing the Sterling Electric Auto Clock,
using our own watch parts instead of the Waterbury watch parts
used formerly. These auto clocks are being sold to the Sterling
Clock Company under agreement we have with them.”
“Our Experimental Department has developed a number of models
of electric clocks, with the idea of improving the electric clock
now being manufactured for the Sterling Clock Company. We are
also working on models of electric house clocks.”
Quote from February 19, 1929 annual report of President to shareholders:
“Through these purchases your Company has acquired patents and
a going electric clock business with an established market of
approximately 30000 clocks per year. The Sterling Clock Company
was located in Meridan, Connecticut, but this factory was closed
shortly after our purchase and the entire machinery and tools
moved to La Salle. It is now installed in our factory here as
a special department.”
“Due to defects in management and defects in the product itself,
the reputation of the Sterling Clock Company in the trade was
not all that we might have wished. We feel that these defects
in management have now been overcome and the mechanical defects
in the clock itself are slowly being bettered under our production
methods, so that it will not be long before we can consider this
electric clock as up to the standard of the rest of our products.”
“Our experimental Department is continuing to develop new models
of electric clocks, with the idea that it may discover a better
clock than the one that we are producing. They are also working
on a model of an electric house clock to be run by a battery.”