subject: The Origin Of The Cuckoo Clock [print this page] A cuckoo clock is typically pendulum driven and chimes hourly with the call of the common cuckoo. The cuckoo clock is traditionally designed as a "chalet". The traditionally styled ones have a wooden case which is decorated with carved leaves and animals. When the clock strikes a small trap door opens and a bird emerges. Some clocks also feature a moving bird. There are two kinds of movements: one-day movements and eight-day movements. Some also feature musical movements. The first of the cuckoo clocks were made in the Black Forest, between 1740 and 1750. They are characterized by hand painted shields.
The chalet styled clock is one of the most popular clocks. It is a Swiss contribution. They were very much value by the Swiss as souvenirs. The chalet style is further divided into three basic styles:
* Black Forest Chalet
* Swiss Chalet
* Bavarian Chalet
The Swiss chalet is further divided into two types. They are the Brienz and the Emmental. The Bavarian chalet features a Swiss music box, which plays famous melodies like, "The Happy Wanderer" and "Edelweiss"
Today's cuckoo clocks are mostly driven by weight, very few are spring driven. These weight driven clocks are designed with pine cone shaped cast iron weights. The typical cuckoo sound is generated with the help of two tiny gedact (pipes) in the clock. When the clock moves a puff of air is sent to each pipe alternatively when the clock strikes.
In recent times these clocks are powered by Quartz batteries. These clocks lack the cuckoo bellows. In these clocks the bird emerges from its hiding and moves up and down. Some clocks also feature the bird flapping its wings while calling out. The call of the bird in these clocks is digitalized. Many clocks also feature the sound of waterfall and sounds of other birds in the background. The battery power clocks do not have a gong wire and hence the cuckoo emerges only at the full hour.
Some cuckoo clocks today also feature twelve different musical chimes (one for each hour). Some of the famous chimes that are featured along with the bird call are: sounds of wood choppers, jumping deer, beer drinkers and many more. One feature unique only to the quartz clocks is that they are light sensitive. When lights are turned of during the night, they automatically switch to the silent mode during the hourly chime.
by: Steave Phill
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