Electric time piece with hands but without dial (no pendulum)

This device, patented by F. J. Ritchie in 1872, shows a method by which an electrically-maintained pendulum is made to drive the handwork of a clock. It is for use with pendulums which are maintained in motion by currents transmitted every second from a master clock.

The device consists of a reversed escapement with two gravity arms. These arms are lifted by the pendulum, and in falling back again they drive the escape wheel. See British Patent Specification No. 2078 of 1872.