AARON L. DENNISON MEMORIAL TIMEPIECE

This timepiece was manufactured in 1994 by Freeport clockmakers The Balzer Family and dedicated to Aaron L. Dennison who was born in Freeport and is recognized as the father of the watchmaking industry in the United States.   This is the first mechanical "tower" clock manufactured in the United States since 1963.

TIMEPIECE FACTS:

Function: Time, half-hour and hour toll, hour chime. Operation: Mechanical, weight driven, pendulum regulated.  Automatic weight winding system.  Denison double legged gravity escapement, pallets jeweled in Brazilian agate. Construction: Cast iron legs, upper plates, bridge plate, wind wheels, and pendulum bob.   Steel base, shafts, pinions, and levers.  Brass wheels and bushing.

Chime Function:
The large drum is divided into a grid.  Each pin in the drum represents a note.  On the hour, the chime section of the clock movement drives the mechanical drum and as the drum turns, the pins in the drum engage a micro switch activating the corresponding chime tube hammer which strikes the note.  The location of the pin determines the note to be played.  Changing the location of the pins changes the music selection.

Music Selections:
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring - Bach
Minuet - Bach
Good Old Summertime
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - Tchaikovsky
Bicycle Built for Two
Ode to Joy - Beethoven
Frosty the Snowman
Amazing Grace