New high - resolution studies of sprites

A new and improved means for visually displaying the time of day comprising generally asymmetrical three-dimensional bodies mounted for rotation about a common axis. A base structure houses a standard clock mechanism including three concentric drive shafts, corresponding to the "hours," "minutes" and "seconds" time measurements, respectively. The concentric drive shafts project from the top of the base structure and lie along a common axis of rotation. An irregularly shaped shaft support is attached to the base structure and extends upwardly in an appropriate contour whereby the outer end thereof intersects the common axis of rotation. The seconds drive shaft extends from the top of the base structure and is rotatably supported in a bearing arranged in the shaft support at the point of intersection with the common axis. The hours indicator comprises a first asymmetrical three-dimensional body. The hours drive shaft is in a driving engagement with the hours indicator to rotate the hours indicator 360 DEG about the common axis once every 12 or 24 hours. The minutes indicator comprises a second asymmetrical three-dimensional body. The minutes drive shaft extends through the hours drive shaft and is in a driving engagement with the minutes indicator and rotates the minutes indicator about the common axis once every 60 minutes. The seconds indicator comprises a disc fixedly secured to the second drive shaft, which rotates the disc once every 60 seconds. The seconds drive shaft extends through a moving fit with each of the hours and minutes indicators to the bearing in the shaft support. The relative positions between the rotating asymmetrical bodies and the shaft support indicates the hour and minute of the day.