The automated wind chime comprises a housing and a wobble arm. The housing may be suspended from a clapper of a wind chime. A motor within the housing may rotate the wobble arm when energized. The wobble arm may be unbalanced such that rotation of the wobble arm causes the housing to sway in an erratic pattern. Moving the housing in the erratic pattern may cause the clapper to strike a plurality of percussion targets within the wind chime thus producing chime music even in the absence of wind. The housing may have a novelty appearance. As non-limiting examples, the housing may be shaped like a duck, turkey, Easter bunny, Santa Claus, musical note, or flower.

A light-powered, electromechanical chime has a striker assembly (3) inside a bell (1). The striker assembly contains a clapper (6) and electronics, including a light collector (7) and a motor (10.) The striker assembly is suspended by a torsion element (2) attached to the shaft (11) of the motor. Light causes the motor to wind the torsion element, then the unwinding torsion element causes the striker assembly to rotate and the clapper to strike the bell.

A light-powered, electromechanical chime has a striker assembly (3) inside a bell (1). The striker assembly contains a clapper (6) and electronics, including a light collector (7) and a motor (10.) The striker assembly is suspended by a torsion element (2) attached to the shaft (11) of the motor. Light causes the motor to wind the torsion element, then the unwinding torsion element causes the striker assembly to rotate and the clapper to strike the bell.

A wind chime including a series of individual chime tubes suspended below a base, and a striker suspended below the base and movable into contact with the plurality of chime tubes. The wind chime further includes an accelerometer positioned within each of the chime tubes and operable to generate an accelerometer signal upon contact between the striker and the chime tube. A chime control unit is included which is in communication with each of the accelerometers to receive the accelerometer signals and wirelessly transmit the accelerometer signals away from the location of the wind chime. A receiving station is located remotely from the chime control unit and is operable to receive the accelerometer signals and convert the accelerometer signals to a tone signal. The wind chime includes a playback device operable to audibly transmit the tone signals.

A wind chime including a series of individual chime tubes suspended below a base, and a striker suspended below the base and movable into contact with the plurality of chime tubes. The wind chime further includes an accelerometer positioned within each of the chime tubes and operable to generate an accelerometer signal upon contact between the striker and the chime tube. A chime control unit is included which is in communication with each of the accelerometers to receive the accelerometer signals and wirelessly transmit the accelerometer signals away from the location of the wind chime. A receiving station is located remotely from the chime control unit and is operable to receive the accelerometer signals and convert the accelerometer signals to a tone signal. The wind chime includes a playback device operable to audibly transmit the tone signals.

A musical sound generator is provided including a tube defining a resonant cavity, the tube having a plurality of sound producing chimes configured to produce an audible sound when at least one object impacts on at least one of the chimes; a reservoir configured to hold a number of objects; and a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the objects from the reservoir to an elevated position within the resonant cavity, wherein the objects fall down from the elevated position within the resonant cavity by gravity after being transferred by the transfer mechanism, to strike the plurality of sound producing chimes; and wherein the position of the reservoir is configured to be moved depending on the level of the objects held in the reservoir.

A musical sound generator is provided including a tube defining a resonant cavity, the tube having a plurality of sound producing chimes configured to produce an audible sound when at least one object impacts on at least one of the chimes; a reservoir configured to hold a number of objects; and a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the objects from the reservoir to an elevated position within the resonant cavity, wherein the objects fall down from the elevated position within the resonant cavity by gravity after being transferred by the transfer mechanism, to strike the plurality of sound producing chimes; and wherein the position of the reservoir is configured to be moved depending on the level of the objects held in the reservoir.

A watch including a timepiece striking mechanism, including a drive mechanism for driving and controlling the striking mechanism to operate at least one rigid hammer, movable between a first winding position and a second striking position, the hammer being arranged to strike a gong in the second striking position, this hammer including at least one magnetized portion arranged to cooperate with at least one actuator arranged to be driven in motion by the drive mechanism, the actuator including an alternating series of first areas and second areas with different magnetic field characteristics from each other, to whose influence the magnetized portion is successively subjected on order to trigger, as the case may be, the winding of the hammer or the striking of the hammer on the gong.

A watch including a timepiece striking mechanism, including a drive mechanism for driving and controlling the striking mechanism to operate at least one rigid hammer, movable between a first winding position and a second striking position, the hammer being arranged to strike a gong in the second striking position, this hammer including at least one magnetized portion arranged to cooperate with at least one actuator arranged to be driven in motion by the drive mechanism, the actuator including an alternating series of first areas and second areas with different magnetic field characteristics from each other, to whose influence the magnetized portion is successively subjected on order to trigger, as the case may be, the winding of the hammer or the striking of the hammer on the gong.

A musical sound generator is provided including a tube defining a resonant cavity, the tube having a plurality of sound producing chimes configured to produce an audible sound when at least one object impacts on at least one of the chimes; a reservoir configured to hold a number of objects; and a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the objects from the reservoir to an elevated position within the resonant cavity, wherein the objects fall down from the elevated position within the resonant cavity by gravity after being transferred by the transfer mechanism, to strike the plurality of sound producing chimes; and wherein the position of the reservoir is configured to be moved depending on the level of the objects held in the reservoir.