The Karpark Corp Cincinnati Penny Nickel Parking Meter

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IN STORAGE SINCE THE 1960'S "This is just a combination of an alarm clock and a slot machine which is being used for further socking the motorist, who is already paying enough in taxes," decried William Gottlieb of the Automobile Club of New York when the parking meter started appearing on main street America in 1935. The so called "gypometers" celebrated their Platinum (75th) anniversary in 2007. WOW, is your opportunity to own a piece of automotive history in the form of a single head pre-1950 penny/nickel parking meter made by The Karpark Corp. of Cincinnati, Ohio. It appears to be the vaunted steel head "Superior", an automatic model that earned the company it's reputation for the highest quality parking meter. The model employs a heavy solid brass clock mechanism (no surprise since they were owned by the Herschede Hall Clock Company), sturdy pendulum escapement; machine cut gears and pinions, stainless steel shafts, and theft proof housings. This was considered the most dependable, trouble free and reliable unit on the market in its day. The sight glasses are clear Lexan© plastic. These units take a penny for each 12 minutes of time or 60 minutes for a nickel - two hour maximum. They came out of the town of Elwood, Indiana. It measures 15 1/2" tall and weighs about 15 pounds. Heavy cast iron construction with aluminum instruction plates. I do not have the keys. The mechanism is wound down and while it appears to be functional, t is no way to be sure until entry is gained into the guts. As such, the meter is being sold as is. Photo is showing both sides of a single meter. May have surface rust, cloudy or scratched lens, graffiti on unit and will show normal signs of wear. For an entertaining narrative on a short history of the parking meter visit the Wall Street Journal article at: /article/SB118574808780081653.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace Another neat site is Ron Luttrell Sr's at: /~luttrell/history.html In a hurry - choose the buy it now option to purchase immediately for $50. Some Historical Notes on Herschede Hall Clock Company Records, 1887-1964. Frank Herschede was born on July 30, 1857 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He operated a jewelry store at No. 9 Emery Arcade and began selling hall clocks in 1885. The clocks had imported mechanisms in locally manufactured cases. Herschede decided to exhibit his hall clocks at the South Carolina and West Indies Exposition, held in Charleston, SC in 1901. T his clocks won a gold medal, the first of several such awards. In 1902 the clock business was incorporated under the name of Herschede Hall Clock. Frank's brother, John A., acted as the general manager and salesman for the firm. Frank's son, Walter J., joined the business in 1902. The Herschede Hall Clock Company moved to Plum Street in 1903. A few years later, the company began manufacturing its own clock movements. The cases and the movements won awards at several expositions and were sold across the country. In addition, the company supplied cases and movements to competitors. The company built a new plant at the corner of McMillan Street and Essex Place in 1913. The company also began offering a third melody, the Canterbury Chimes, in addition to the two tunes that had been offered from the beginning, the Westminster and the Whittington Chimes. During World War I, the clock mechanisms, which were the only ones made in the United States, were in high demand because the American market was cut off from European manufacturers. The Herschede Hall Clock Company also produced surgical and surveying instruments and compasses for the military. On September 15, 1922, Frank Herschede, the founder of the company, died at the age of 65, following an operation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Walter succeeded his father as president and experimented with the production of radios and other items. The company began selling electric clocks in 1926 under the name of the Revere Clock Company. In 1929 the company employed about 300 workers and had sales of $1.2... read more

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