US Patent 7050359 Clock with perceived gravity-defying time indicator

A clock with a seemingly gravity-defying time-indicating element adjacent a substantially vertically disposed dial comprises a magnetic guide element positioned behind the dial for movement around the dial as a function of time, and a magnetically responsive time-indicating element such as a metallic-appearing sphere positioned for viewer visibility in front of the dial. The time-indicating element is magnetically coupled to the guide element for movement therewith around the front of the dial in apparent defiance of gravity to indicate the time without becoming decoupled from the guide element. The time-indicating element is a generally hollow shell of non-magnetically responsive material, with an internal, generally tubular and generally space-enclosing member extending across its interior to capture and restrict the movement of a magnetically-responsive coupling element positioned within the generally tubularly enclosed space, and sized to move freely therewithin so that any surface of the coupling element can generally abut the interior wall of the time-indicating element at either end of the tubular enclosure, said coupling element being mechanically coupled to the time-indicating element for movement therewith and magnetically coupled to the guide element through the dial for time-responsive movement of the time-indicating element.