How Dry I Am Musical Chime
How Dry I Am was a portion of the lyrics of a tune written by Irving Berlin in 1919. This chime plays that melody and once signaled the end of the dryer cycle on a mid 1950s Westinghouse CD-6 Clothes dryer. There is evidence the chime also played the melody when the door was opened, so this is indeed a door chime or a different sort. A number of these clothes dryers are still in service today.
This chime operates with a 120 volt clockwork motor to turn a cam that lifts, then allows to drop, a series of hammers which strike the tone bars and play the melody. The motor is triggered momentarily by means of a remote control button which sets the cam in motion. The power to the motor is kept continuous by means of a small micro switch depressed by a wheel with a flat spot turned by the cam until the entire cycle completes at which point the micro switch is released at rest on the flat portion of the wheel.
The motor was patented in 1950 and manufactured by the Bristol Motor Company.
Here are the lyrics, in case you want to sing along with the video:
- How dry I am, how dry I am
It’s plain to see just why I am
No alcohol in my highball
And that is why so dry Iam
| Manufacturer | Unknown, | |
| Location of Manufacturer | Motor manufactured by Bristol Motor Company, Connecticut | |
| Date of Manufacture | Estimated 1950 -1955 from motor patent date | |
| Materials | Marbled styrene plastic, stamped steel, iron tone bars | |
| Dimensions | 7 1/2 inches wide, 7 1/2 inches tall, 6 inches deep |