The Big Ben case is covered by design patent Des. It was also revived in 1970 for the Big Ben leg model reproduction. With several major and many minor changes this movement was used in the Big Ben leg model alarm clock from 1908 to 1935, and in the Big Ben Loud Alarm from 1935 to 1956. Kern was granted patent #958,930 on for improvements to the alarm mechanism. The Big Ben movement incorporates an intermittent alarm feature that is an improved version of the “repeating” alarm described in patent #855,775 issued June 4, 1907. This patent was granted Novemas #904,333. Kern designed a new alarm clock movement, and applied for a patent on July 1, 1908. The significant feature of this case is the large bell-back which completely envelopes the inner case back and is an integral part of the case, while on other early bell-back alarm clocks the bell was placed there almost as an afterthought.

movement housed in a new style case invented by Kern. The patent’s two drawings show an ordinary Western Clock Mfg. On June 9, 1908, Kern was granted patent #890,066 entitled “Alarm Clock”. 16, 1908.” That is the date of Gaston LeRoy’s advertising department report in which he proposed the name “Big Ben”, as discussed in the following section, “Big Ben Advertising and Promotion”. Trademark #72,178 for “BIG BEN” contains the statement “The Trade-mark has been continually used in our business since Mar. Tooling was being made for the Big Ben alarm clock by the first quarter of 1908, the first Big Bens were sold in 1909, and they were first nationally advertised in the Sept. Everyone agrees, including Ernest Roth, son of the senior Roth, that Kern deserves complete credit for the invention of the clock that was to make the company phenomenally successful. Able to understand, Roth began a friendly conversation with Kern that resulted in Kern being hired to head the clock works’ old experimental department, called the ‘model shop.’ His first order: Design a dependable and sturdy alarm clock. Company, was in a New York restaurant about 1905 when he overheard a stranger speaking in German. “Ernest Roth, general manager of the Western Clock Mfg. He came to the United States to avoid army conscription and found work in a New York machine shop. George Kern was born and raised in Germany and went to work at the Junghans clock factory.

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