Joseph Ives (1782-1862) of Connecticut was both an inventor and a clock maker. Wooden clock movements were in vogue when Joseph entered the clock trade. He followed this trend and fashioned wooden movements. Soon, however he felt that brass ones would be better, especially those made from rolled sheet brass. He developed a rolling pinion, a small gear with teeth that fit into those of a larger gear or rack. Normally it has fewer than 20 teeth that are referred to as leaves.
In addition, Joseph Ives received a patent for a steel spring. He is credited with a possible American first when he developed this successful clock spring. Up until this time, only English clock makers made and used steel springs successfully.
He headed the Joseph Ives & Co. of Bristol, Connecticut from 1818-1819. Sometime later, Joseph Ives was credited with being the inventor of the wagon spring clock. He used these flat springs to power clock movements. Around 1826, Joseph moved to Brooklyn, New York, and for a period of about five years made wagon spring clocks. He served as a guiding light for the Ives business interests until hi death in 1862.
Amoung his clock creations are the "Duncan Phyfe" or "Brooklyn" type wagon spring clock. The dial on this clock is decorated with a vase of flowers and a picture is painted on the tablet. He also developed a wagon spring clock one-month clock, which winds at the 2 and 10 numbers rather than the 4 and 8 where most clocks wind. This clock is time only. Other Ives clocks include a 30-day wagon spring in a drop octagon; a "Connecticut Lyre" eight-day wall clock with a gold leaf front decoration, and the hour glass one-day wagon spring clock with a label that reads: "Plainville, Conn."
It is possible that the Ives brothers inherited their interest in clocks from their father, Amas Ives of Bristol, who worked from 1770-1790.
Their were six Ives brothers - Ira (1775-1848), Amasa (1777-1817), Philo (1780-1822), Joseph (1782-1862), Shaylor (1785-1840), and Chauncey (1787-1857).
One author said that these brothers gained fame when they became an integral part of Bristol clock history. Amazingly this group of brothers had a total of eleven patents on clocks. Ira received two, one for a time and strike clock and another for pinions. Shaylor had two for clock springs, and Joseph earned seven patents. All these men were a credit to their profession and each one of them produced quality clocks.
