Paul Garnier studio; purchased at Christie's Wednesday 7 July 1997, lot 9.
Overview
This is a demonstration model made by French clock- and watchmaker Jean-Paul (Paul) Garnier to demonstrate the principle of a pulse lengthener: a mechanism to convert the rapid pulse received from a time transmitting clock into a longer pulse – for example to allow the sounding of an alarm through lifting a hammer. An armature rests above an electromagnet: as the electromagnet is activated, the rapid attraction of the armature triggers the turning of the mercury-filled disc at the bottom of the movement. This mercury bridges between two contact points within the vessel, creating a circuit and allowing power to flow. The resulting contact period is substantially longer than the fleeting impulse distributed by an impulse transmitting clock.
