chronograph with seconds indicator
Date1822
Inventory NumberDW0648
ClassificationStop Clock
Subject
Maker
Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec
1781 - 1866
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensions5.6 x 11.2 x 8.4 cm (2 3/16 x 4 7/16 x 3 5/16 in.)
Material
DescriptionRectangular brass face with an inset enameled ring that is movable and rotates about an axis perpendicular to the face plate. In use it would make a full rotation in a minute. The ring is labeled with divisions running counterclockwise, 0-60, indicating seconds, with subdivisions every 1/5 second (i.e., every 200 millisecond). Inside and underneath the enameled dial ring, is a brass disk cut with three apertures cut out, so that it has 3 spokes. A central screw holds them to the box, which is mahogany and contains gearworks.
At the top of the face plate is a window in which appears a section of a rotating silvered ring that serves as a counter. Each revolution of the main dial advances the counter one step. Each numeral represents a minute of elapsed time. At present the numeral "4" appears in the window.
There are two smooth knobs and one knurled knob above the dial. The knurled knob is used to set the dial by means of rotating a gear train inside the box. One plain knob is the start / stop button. The second button activates a metal arm whose pen tip carries ink; it marks a black point on the dial, which continues to revolve smoothly. (The pen tip on this example appears to have broken off the arm.) In this way, the observer can mark the times when a number of successive events happen--e.g., horses crossing a finish line--without stopping the timer. When the observation series is done, the observer pushes the stop button, and then can write down where the marks of ink fell.
The underside of the box has two sliding panels to access the mechanism and calibrate it.
At the top of the face plate is a window in which appears a section of a rotating silvered ring that serves as a counter. Each revolution of the main dial advances the counter one step. Each numeral represents a minute of elapsed time. At present the numeral "4" appears in the window.
There are two smooth knobs and one knurled knob above the dial. The knurled knob is used to set the dial by means of rotating a gear train inside the box. One plain knob is the start / stop button. The second button activates a metal arm whose pen tip carries ink; it marks a black point on the dial, which continues to revolve smoothly. (The pen tip on this example appears to have broken off the arm.) In this way, the observer can mark the times when a number of successive events happen--e.g., horses crossing a finish line--without stopping the timer. When the observation series is done, the observer pushes the stop button, and then can write down where the marks of ink fell.
The underside of the box has two sliding panels to access the mechanism and calibrate it.
In Collection(s)
Signedon face: Rieussec, Horloger du Roi. / A PARIS, RUE NEUVE DES PETITS-CHAMPS, N. 13
Inscribedon face: CHRONGRAPHE [aperture] BREVET D'INVENTION
FunctionUsed to measure fractions of second and time short intervals.
ProvenanceDavid P. Wheatland purchased from Lorenzo Paolozzi, Rome, Italy, August 1954 (#41).
Historical AttributesNicolas Rieussec was Watchmaker to the King (Louis XVIII) from 1817 forward. In 1821 he invented a chronometer that measured the time horses took to finish a race and record the times that successive horses crossed the finish line after it. He showed it off the Academie des Sciences in October 1821, who praised the device. He obtained a patent in 1821. In his own words, Rieussec described his invention as “Timepiece, or timer for distance covered, called a chronograph with seconds indicator, indicating the duration of several successive phenomena without requiring the observer’s attention.”
Rieussec continued to make improvements, including scaling down the apparatus to make it more portable. On March 9, 1822, Rieussec obtained a five-year patent for this new version, explaining:
“The first Chronographs, for which I obtained a Patent in 1821, were too large in size to be easily transportable as watches, due to the complicated parts that made up the mechanism. Since that time I have attempted to simplify the mechanism enough so that chronographs could be incorporated into very small watches, and as will be seen in the description....I have even combined the chronograph movement and the watch movement in a single case, such that this instrument is always available to use. The simplifications that I have added are such that I can adapt this mechanism even to the most ordinary watches and put them on the market at a very moderate price.” (Patent 1BA5889)
CHSI's example is the 1822 patent model.
J. Murray Mitchell
Date: 1947
Accessories: 2 small prints of drawing, drawing (possibly original)
Object number: 1998-1-1073
George Grady Press
Date: after 1943
Object number: 1998-1-1689
Taylor Instrument Companies
Date: circa 1925
Accessories: stored within the case: paper recording chart, a length of flexible hose, a bulb and glass container with red recording ink
Object number: 2010-1-0020
Hammond Typewriter Company
Date: circa 1923
Accessories: four Hammond type shuttles for different type faces, each with a wooden storage box; four laminated paper rectangles with symbol placement guide; instruction book, instruction sheets, advertisements, and correspondence (in object file)
Object number: 1996-1-0373
Conrad Karner
Date: 1630
Accessories: On 6/22/98 an envelope with a piece to this dial was found in 1V-2b. However, on the envelope it said "wrong dial," with no other information. JR
Object number: 7554
Western Electric Company
Date: before 1933
Accessories: cords missing
Object number: RS0153
Louis Chapotot
Date: 1684-1687
Accessories: case
Object number: 7014
