Pictures and info submitted by harold endean:















Thanks Harold.

That first timer looks like it's really built to withstand the elements.

Is there anything beneath the little cover on the bottom (near the point where the wires exit)?

Those are quite a neat find !Thanks for sharing them.

Mike (mamills)

They sure don't make things like they used to.

Thanks for sharing those photo's from those well made clocks, with proper clock works mechanisms.

I rather see brass and proper metal than all the plastic junk they sell nowthese days which seem to last only a few years, or less most often, Clock batteries for back up in power outage also very unreliable.

My guess is that these clocks are from around 1930's, or early 40's.

Raymond

Mike,

I haven't looked at the clock in a while, but if I remember correctly, behind that little plate is the ususal connections for the line and loads. I can get the old clock out of storage and get more pictures for you if your interested. The pictures were on my computer but I took them about a year ago. I just remember to find them again and send them to Trumpy. Thanks Trumpy!

I would guess the age as slightly earlier. I used to have some Sangamo timers from the late 1930s and they looked much more "modern" than that. I assume it uses a mercury switch, under the plate with the keep level instruction on it.
About ten years ago Sangamo ran a competition in UK to find the oldest of their products still in use. They were clearly interested in their history then, and could perhaps be interested in seeing those pictures.

Ain't that the truth! I bet those timers costs a pretty penny when they were made, allowing for the greater value of a dollar/pound/whatever back then.

Now people go and buy a plastic wrapped pack of three Made-in-China timers for $5.95 at the local bargain store and expect it to be something other than cheap plastic junk.

None of it is ever likely to be around long enough to be eligible for any sort of longest-service competition. Warranty? Yeah, we guarantee it won't fall apart until you get it out of the store.

Geoff,

If you know anyone in the UK from Sangamo and they are interested, please let them or myself know. They can have the pictures or whatever if they are that interested. They can e-mail me through this website, I think.

I have pictures of an antique timer at http://www.flickr.com/photos/classicsat/tags/antique/

Look for some more stuff to show up there.