Lancashire
Clockmakers
Lancashire Clockmakers ClockDrive System
(The first weightless automatic winding with pendulum regulator)
Lancashire Clockmakers are proud to introduce an exciting new product, designed to drive and control historic public turret clocks.
The new ClockDrive System uses innovative motor driven actuators to drive the existing clock weight barrels without the use of falling weights of any type. The lack of weights, wires and pulleys, greatly simplifies the installation, improves reliability and removes the risk of damage due to wire breakages and falling weights.
Advanced electronic closed loop feedback control systems within the actuators, accurately control the forces on the clock barrels to replicate the existing clock weights or weight driven auto-wind systems. The clock barrel drive force is programmable over a wide range to replicate different weight sizes.
The ClockDrive actuators are very simple and drive the clock barrels through a chain drive to split sprockets on the existing barrels. No modifications to the clock are required at all and historic clocks, currently modified to drive through secondary arbours can be restored to the original manufacturer’s specification.
The new ClockDrive system actuators are powerful and suitable for all clock trains including going, quarter and strike trains.
A centralised control system within a rugged wall mounted enclosure is used to provide power, control and monitoring functions to all the ClockDrive actuators. The control system also supports additional functions such as clock time regulation using the UK Anthorn MSF or the Frankfurt DCF radio time signals. This allows the clock time to be regulated to within a few seconds with good time signal coverage of the UK and Europe.
The whole control system is powered from a standard AC mains supply and features an integral rechargeable battery backup which will power the clock and strike trains for up to 12 hours.
The ClockDrive System components are all constructed to meet high reliability industrial standards to ensure a long, trouble free life.
The ClockDrive System hardware is flexible using off the shelf components and can easily be adapted to add new features as required. Future innovations include remote monitoring of the ClockDrive System over the public internet to ensure that clock faults and stoppages can be quickly identified and corrected.
The ClockDrive System is commissioned and monitored using a sophisticated configuration tool running on an Apple iPad hardware platform.
Please contact us for more information on this exciting new product and to find out how we can help you.
Night silencing allows you to silence the strike and quarter chimes to any time of your choice over a 24 hour period. This device can also be used as a pull-off allowing bellringers to make the bells safe to ring.