Big Ben Style 4 Chime alarm 1934 - 1939
Big Ben Style 4a Loud Alarm 1935 - 1939
In 1936 the dials were changed from "Made by Western Clock Co". to "Made by Westclox"
The style 4 Big Ben case is a modification of the style 3. There is no matting ring between the dial and the glass, and the base has two convex curves (one on each side) instead of four concave curves. The glass is convex.
In 1934 the style 4 Big Ben Chime Alarm was introduced. At first it was made in a black finish with nickel trim, and a green metallic finish with nickel trim. About April 1936 the ivory finish with brass trim replaced the green finish clock, and gunmetal finish replaced the black finish. Black, gunmetal and green clocks have a white dial with black numerals or a black dial with luminous numerals. Ivory clocks have a white dial with black numerals or a brown-banded dial with luminous numerals.
The Chime Alarms produced through early 1935 differ from the later, standard ones in several respects. They don’t have the name “Chime Alarm” on the dial, and they have the words “Westclox” and “Big Ben” printed with the same style of lettering as style 3 Chime Alarms. The hands on luminous dial clocks are made from the same blanks as non-luminous hands (“simplified skeleton style”) but are nickeled, with the luminous paint applied from behind. There is close spacing between the time winding key and time set knob, just like the style 3 Chime Alarm.
Starting in early 1935, the Chime Alarm was produced with “standard” features. There is wide spacing between the time winding key and time set knob, achieved with intermediate gearing on the time main wheel bridge. The dials have the label “Chime Alarm.” Luminous hands on both gunmetal and ivory clocks are solid (not skeleton) nickeled blanks with luminous paint applied to the front (did some ivory clocks use unplated brass hand blanks?).
In late 1936, the company name was changed from “Western Clock Company” to “Westclox Division of General Time Instruments Corporation.” In late 1936 or early 1937, the lettering at the bottom of the dial changed from "MADE BY WESTERN CLOCK CO. LA SALLE, ILL. U.S.A” to "MADE BY WESTCLOX, LA SALLE, ILL., U.S.A.”Style 4 was discontinued in 1939.
In March 1935, the Big Ben Style 1a was discontinued, and Big Ben Style 4a Loud Alarm was its successor. Big Ben style 4a appears similar to style 4 but the case is approximately 1/4” thicker to accommodate the Loud Alarm movement, which is thicker than the Chime Alarm movement. The “Loud Alarm” movement is basically the same as the movement used in Big Ben style 1a. The style 4a Big Ben Loud Alarm was made in a gunmetal case with nickel trim and had a white dial with black numerals or a black dial with luminous figures. The cases have a hanger on the back. Early examples may have black paint instead of gunmetal.
