a C o u s t i C a n n o u n C e m e n t o F t h e t i m e
After activating the repeater, the time is read mechanically and is announced acous
tically by a finelytuned strike train. This time announcement exact to the minute is
made by three different audible signals:
1. The hour chime is indicated by a lowpitched tone. 12 is indicated with twelve hour
chimes, 1 with a single chime, 2 with two chimes, and so on.
2. The quarter chime is indicated by a dual tone. There is no quarter chime in the first
quarter of an hour, a single dualtone chime is sounded in the second quarter, two
dualtone chimes in the third quarter, and so on.
3. The minute chime is a higherpitched tone. Each minute after a full quarter is indi
cated by a single chime. The maximum possible number of minute chimes is there
fore 14.
Examples:
04.18
4 hour chimes, 1 quarter chime, 3 minute chimes
10 hour chimes, 3 quarter chimes, 0 minute chimes
10.45
12.14
12 hour chimes, 0 quarter chimes, 14 minute chimes
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P o r t u g i e s e r g r a n d e C o m P l i C a t i o n