AUTOMATIC CLOCK FOR TIMING RACES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 187, 9 August 1893, Page 8

AUTOMATIC CLOCK FOR TIMING RACES.

A number of gentlemen interested in athletic sports assembled ab the Drill-shed to-day to witness a practical besb of bhe automatic clock for sbarbing and bimmg races, which has been invented and constructed by Mr Alfred Barblett, of the well-known firm of A. and G. Bartletb, chronomeber - makers, of Queen- street. This most ingenious invention has occupied the attention of Mr Barblett for some years, and although he had brought it to its present perfection some time ago, he delayed oxhibibing ib unbil patent rights were secured. Ib would be difficulb to e ive an inbelligible descripbion of bho mechanism of bhe clock wibhoub diagrams, bub ib may be sbabed in general terms that in the centre of the dial of the clock, which is in a horizontal position, there is inserted a movable metal disc, marked to the fifths of a second. This revolves in close proximity to a series of inking pencils, which in turn are connected by elecbric wires with the strings which bar tho exits from dividing tapes ordinarily used in shorbdistance races. The breaking away of each tape ia instantaneously marked on the di=c and the exact time of finishing may thus be registered for a dozen competitors aba time. Those who know how utterly impossible it ia for any judge, however experienced, to take the exact time, in inch cases will appreciate the immense value of automatic registration, which will make disputes over the judging absolutely impossible. The sbarbing is also accomplished aubomabically by the ringing of a bell. By simply pushing down a series of buttons, handicaps can be regulated for an almost mdefanibe number of sbarbers, each starting trom scratch at the sound of a bell. \\ c need scarcely point oub bhe superiority of this sysbem over thab ab present in vogue, bhe chronomeber itself giving bhe signal. The whole contrivance is so simple to operate, so compacb and little likely to get oub of order, and yob so accurate, that we have no doubb it will come into universal uso ab athletic meetings lb is singular that no mechanist has ever yeb devised a workable clock for timing races, bhe want of such a contrivance being one which is realised by every man who has a knowledge of the subject. VVe hearbily congrabulato Mr Bartlebt upon his success, which will enhance the repubabion already enjoyed by this firm as among the most skilful makers and regulators ot chronometers in Australasia.