Introducing the World's Most Precise Clock by Jrme Lodewyck. The anchor for a verge is simply a wire with two flags attached to it that act as pallets. There isn't a uniform rule about the direction you turn to adjust the time keeping. However, if its is losing 30 minutes a day, you might be out of the range of adjustment. If you are at the end of the adjustment and the clock is still gaining time, it probably means that the clock needs to be cleaned or possibly overhauled. Hi, Thank you very much for the reply. You probably have a clock with a "floating balance". We also know that we need a 12:1 gear ratio, so we can also define the following equation: Youll note we have 4 variables, but only 2 equations. These principles predict how a pendulum behaves based upon its . The beats per minute one follows ranges anywhere from 40 beats per minute, to 208 beats per minute. My recently purchased grandfather clock is delaying even after I did rotate the pendulum nut to the maximum. The cannon shaft is a bar with the cannon pinion riveted to it. As soon as the pendulum reverses direction the gear train resumes its forwards direction and pushes on the pendulum until you hear the next tock or tick. This means either increasing the power (by using heavier weights or more powerful springs), or decreasing the friction in the movement (by using jeweled pivot points). This is basically what was used in nearly every Pendulum clock that you might have seen. :) Bring your mantel clock into your local clock repair shop and they should be able to help you. what to do if the clock runs fast when wind and then slows as it runs throughout the week? Thanks. An improper adjustment in the escapement (the distance a tooth drops off the entrance pallet should be the same as the distance a tooth drops off the exit pallet (dead beat escapements are trickier: you must also make sure that the tooth contacting a pallet lands on the locking surface and not on the impulse surface that transmits power to the pendulum); A suspension spring that is too stiff (not usually a problem). Note that these two parameters are in opposition to each other in order to increase the run time we need to increase the gear ratio, but the more we increase the gear ratio, the less power the train will provide for timekeeping. Hi I have a Smith Enfield Clock Westminster chime it looses seven miniuets a day, I tried adding length to the pendulum with a small device which then started to make it slow by seven mins; again. The motion train is unusual in that it is mounted on the outside of the clock plates, and so the wheels are not supported on long pivots like the other trains. Our perfect pendulum is small weight attached to a weightless shaft that rotates about a frictionless pivot point in a vacuum. If we were to use a 2:1 ratio, the results are even better: c = M/2(c+M) = (m+H) => H = (3M/2)-m(M*H)/(c*m) = 12 => H = 6mWhich leaves us with:M = 14m/3. If you didn't know the power had gone out, you wouldn't know that your clock was inaccurate! Many thanks for your suggestions. I have a nutcracker German Clock; I can turn with key clockwise, but does not seem to turn counter clockwise; how do I slow the pendulum down and how do I keep it going; and how do I move the hands to set initially? Answer (1 of 6): The to and fro movement seen in simple pendulum while one sways it is explained under simple harmonic motion or simply SHM. The speed at which you should use a Forstner bit depends on several Every year we hear of cases of allergic reactions to food The advantage of a pendulum for timekeeping is that it is a harmonic oscillator: It swings back and forth in a precise time interval dependent on its length, and resists swinging at other rates. Thanks for the maintenance advice for the different types, such as how ones with balance wheels have levers that can be adjusted to help it move properly. If you have access to the movement and a careful eye, you can count the teeth in the time train and calculate the correct beat rate for your clock. In this blog I answer commonly asked questions about how to care for your clock. Thank you sir. I have a couple that I think you should check out: 1) Check that the clock is "in beat." var today = new Date() I put a small file upside down in a vise so the tang is pointing up. Setup Pendulum Wall Clock: Choose the proper size wood screw (typically a #8, 10 or 12) to fit the hanger at the top back of the clock, and long enough to go securely through the wall into a stud. You should call the service center and see what suggestions they make. Since commercial pinion cutters are designed to cut a certain number of teeth, it would be a great help to use the same number of teeth in the minute pinion as is used elsewhere in the movement that way we would only need one pinion cutter. . Can you help? Look again 24 hours later and determine how much time has been lost or gained and move the pendulum clock nut accordingly. The cannon pinion drives the minute wheel and pinion, which in turn drive the hour wheel. There are a couple of possibilities that I can think of. It involves a beat detecting device that counts out the beats per hour, or the beats per minute. It's interesting that sliding the bob on a cuckoo clock actually speeds up and slows the time. . Some people do not have a repair shop within a reasonable distance from them. The top of the pendulum is connected to the clock's rear frame with a short flexible metal band. (I wound it two days ago and it is fast by about 40 minutes now, for example.) In general, it is a good starting point for pendulum length, and not much else. In the verge and foliot escapement, two pallets are attached to a vertical rod called a verge. Wow, I didn't know that there are speed settings that can be configured for grandfather clocks that are cuckoo clocks as well. The NAWCC is dedicated to providing association services, promoting interest in and encouraging the collecting of clocks and watches including disseminating knowledge of the same. Then the gravitation pull on the primary weight powers the gears in the clock. 34% Off. It all runs nicely after reassembling it but its losing a couple of minutes per day. However I can find no instructions as to whether I tighten or loosen them or if I have to do something to them both or just one of them. This is a more involved way and usually just done by clock makers. This combination of wheels and pinions driving each other is called atrain. It doesn't turn very far which doesn't take as long so the clock speeds up. The spring is wound-up as a store of energy. How can I get it to run correctly? Mike, Hi, I have a couple Timex watches that have a variable capacitor across the crystal to trim the crystal frequency. This is an unusual set up in a floor clock. There are several ways clocks can count the hours, but a common strike system is called the rack and snail. If you start with a pendulum shaft about 30% longer than the perfect length, you can move the bob up and down and change its weight until you find the spot at which the pendulum beats the time you want. Thus, I haven't the slightest idea as to why it won't work. Around 10 minutes in 5 hours with the bobs turned all the way in. An easy constraint is to fix the ratio between the cannon pinion and minute wheel. Find a need and fill it. If you feel it move a little bit, that may correct the problem. The last and simplest of the trains is the motion train. It has a wood-stick clock pendulum wit a "B-style Hermle Clock Pendulum Top-Hook" I need to replace the pendulum leader and the suspension spring as both seem to have disappeared. Pendulum doesn't have enough swing: Most mantel clock pendulums need to have at least 2 degrees of swing on each side of the at rest position. Do you possibly have an idea as to why the clock is not working as it should, as I know this is a long shot asking you a question when you can't see physically what is occurring at my end. Forstner bits are high-quality cutting tools that are used for making precise, flat-bottomed holes in wood and other materials. Most clocks run 8 days on a wind and were intended to be wound weekly. There is no silencer that I can see. The limiting factor in how long the clock will run is how many times the spring can be wound for a spring-driven clock, or how far the weights can fall for a weight-driven clock. Also we armature radio operators do the same thing to twitch the freq on our crystal transmitters. Calculating the OD of the wheel or pinion is a little trickier. Best regards, Another possibility is that the clock was made by Hammond. Below the band there's a hinge that allows the pendulum to move forward and backward. Wheel 2 drives pinion 3 at a 6:1 ratio, we end up with a 48:1 gear ratio for the train! Required fields are marked *. If there isn't enough power pushing the wheel back and forth, the wheel will not turn very far. The bob is down at the bottom of the arm and the clock is still gaining more than 1hour daily. . Wind-up clocks utilize a spring for power. Thanks for your interest. Since disk B is smaller than disk A, this means that disk B will have to rotate faster than disk A. (NOTE: The clock is level, as I have a small level and it shows that the clock is perfectly level). Time. I think I'll bring it in. Lets get back to the original gear diagram, again shown below. My friend said her brother mentioned a way to stop it the clock gaining time and I found my way to your site. I figured I can try to adjust that again once I get the speed figured out. Most have a recoil escapement that turns the gear train backwards just slightly as the pendulum swings past the tick or tock but before it reverses direction. Pendulum or windup. I was wondering is there something scilly I am over looking, as the pendulum it a its most for slowing the clock down. If the beat duration is expressed in seconds, we should use this equation: BPM = 60 s / beat duration For example, if a beat lasts 0.5s, BPM would equal 60 s / 0.5 s = 120. Where do I find a small key to be able to do this. With the right tooth profile, we can come close to the theoretically perfect gear described above. Not enough power is getting to the pendulum to make it swing as far as it should. Beat - The Tick . As a rule of thumb, you can assume a fully wound spring will be able to rotate the barrel around 5 times. If the first explanation is true, then your clock is running properly; if the second explanation is true, you probably need to take you clock in to be serviced. I am passionate about restoring and repairing antique clocks. How do I adjust the time keeping? The escape wheel now has to oscillate both the verge and the foliot, which together serve as an additional check on its movement. The result is a shallow swing of the pendulum. The cannon pinion is very different than the other pinions. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This is usually the largest wheel in the clock, and in almost all cases will rotate exactly once per hour. The trick is to design the teeth so that their faces of the teeth will roll across each other, minimizing the sliding friction. Danette, This depends on the clock and the type of hands that it has. If you do use glue, be sure it is completely dry before replacing the hands a final time. My windup and pendulums quit every December. Clock Time Regulation for iPhone. The snail is a weirdly shaped cam that looks a lot like a snail shell. My floor model pendulum clock is running fast and it doesn't have an adjustment nut. . The clock has a weight that falls down slowly, and the pendulum's swing controls the speed of the weight's fall. Using a Module 1.0 cutter, this would mean a 36 cm wheel, which is obviously untenable. If you are near Mount Vernon, WA, please feel free to stop by my store. Measuring the center of mass of a pendulum is difficult as it depends on the type and design of the pendulum. All Rights Reserved. It won't take as long as it should to come back around, and the clock will run very fast. I have recently stripped, cleaned and lightly oiled a 1940/50s Smiths mantle clock. The pendulum nut is all the way up and Ive adjusted the pendulum weight to the top of the pendulum. Clocks are designed to run and keep time with the pendulum having room for adjustment. Now you can hang the weight on the pulley and wind the clock by rotating the handle clockwise. For example, if you are using a module 1.0 cutter, a 48 tooth wheel would have a PCD of 48 mm. Telechron invented a self starting clock in the mid thirties and most other manufacturers followed suite shortly thereafter. These are very visually interesting escapements, and so are most often used in fancy skeleton clocks. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Check to see if there is a threaded rod projecting from the pendulum or if there is a pendulum nut in the bottom of the case.If this is the case, your clock needs some professional help. The pinion will engage a wheel on a different pivot, thus transferring the power to the next wheel. A clock comes in for repair with a replacement pendulum. The unwinding of the spring is what powers the clockworks.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE8pO3Zq-z8Video cant be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: How A Mechanical Clock Works (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE8pO3Zq-z8). I think I figured out how to fix the first problem from your answers above, but the second problem has me stumped. Power trains can be as simple as single gear connected directly to the power source, or a complex series of gears. It is running about 3 hours slow. I am an enthusiastic, amatuer newcomer to horology. For small desk or kitchen clocks with a balance wheel the rate is 14400 B/H or sometimes 18000 B/H. Either the pendulum is too short or it isn't getting enough swing. If it doesn't work, I guess we'll just have to call a clock repair service. Clock makers method for Mechanical Clock Pendulum Lengths There is another way, its called setting the beat rate. Most modern clock hands are mounted on a brass bushing. I have a little bit that I can shorten the spring. . Gregory, These clocks are fun and there is always a lot more to learn! Your email address will not be published. In that case you can order a key yourself. I use a Time Trax model 180 which is available at Timesavers.com. If it is battery powered or electric, the pendulum is probably decorative and does not need to be adjusted. Look at the American Watchmaker's - Clockmaker's Institute website for their "Find a Professional" page. When the pendulum swings to the other side, the process is reversed. This ensures the pendulum doesn't change length with . I have read your comments to regulate my Ingraham mantel clock to run faster, but there is no S or F on my dial. A standard watch crystal of 32.768 KHz is probably the best Id also like to mention when I got the clock the seller had placed a lot of packing material (cotton fiber) inside of the clock. They also tend to have an English type lever escapement with sharply pointed escape wheel teeth. If they are held together tight enough so they will not slip there will be a lot of friction, which means more power will be required to drive the gears. TimeSavers (timesavers.com) has a variety of adjustable pendulums for sale. 7-8 minutes a week loss seems like a lot. This is a nice simple train, and one commonly encountered in commercial clocks. The seller claimed the clock chimed perfectly and kept accurate time. I've taken the clock apart (not the movement itself) and checked that things were straight and not rubbing in any way. In this episode of metronome sounds, the metronome is set to 60 beats per minute. Someone also applied an excessive amount of oil to the clocks works. But if the clock is fast, indicating a time ahead of real time, stop the pendulum until after real. Rhythm does not make parts available to other repair centers. Thus as the movement becomes worn, the push the gear train gives to the pendulum is decreased, but the drag on the pendulum during locking is also decreased, so the arc of the pendulum can actually increase and the clock can slow down. I have an old cuckoo clock that runs but the pendulum carving is all the way up to the base of the clock and it still runs a bit slow. can a metronome be used to calibrate a pendulum clock. Get a quick and precise drift reading On the positive side, these clocks run so slowly at 8 beats per minute that is is rare to have worn pivots and bushing holes. I just got a 31 day korean movement pendulum clock. This setup was used on most larger clocks in the past, and is used almost exclusively today. It will display time error per day as well. Again remember to grasp the hand close to the bushing when making this adjustment. In order to find one, you'd probably want to look online at different professionals to learn about their services and experience so you can find one that is able to fix your clock. I tried screwing it back on but could not do it. I suggest you contact the Rhythm Clock repair line at 770-640-6311. (You can reply by e-mail if that's better.). Thanks for your page, I have learned a lot! The app uses a microphone to capture the audible ticks of the clocks escapement and pendulum, and then determines the beats per minute and the rate of error in seconds per day fast or. Your clock probably needs some professional care. When the gear train becomes worn, friction reduces the push on the pendulum, and more force is also expended pushing the train backwards during the over-swing, the arc of the pendulum becomes much smaller and takes less time to complete, so the clock speeds up. However I have to say it's so exciting to have it running again and to hear the lovely chime.. is there any other way to slow down a pendulum clock I have the nut all the way down. Hello Steve, the R stands for retard and the A stands for Advance (or their French equivalents). Often this results in a smaller swing which doesn't take as much time as it should so the clock speeds up. The pendulum of this mid-century beauty is made of the alloy invar, selected for its exceptionally low coefficient of thermal expansion. The formula for the period T of a pendulum is T = 2 L g , where L is the length of the pendulum and g is the acceleration due to gravity. Most pivots will also have apinionmounted on them as well. The Rhythm clocks that I am familiar with are quartz clocks, but quartz clocks generally weren't affordable in the 1960';s and early 1970's. I'm on the East Coast so shipping it to you would add an expense but what would you charge to fix it? Take heart there's nothing wrong. My guess is that you have this type of striking mechanism and that for some reason, the lever that holds the rack up isnt releasing the rack to fall, and so each time the clock only strikes once. How do I adjust the time keeping? It has a couple of major disadvantages, though: it is not a particularly good timekeeper, and the fact that it requires a contrate wheel makes the mechanical linkage of the escape wheel somewhat complicated. Torsion clocks operate at a very low beat rate. You may optionally configure it for Beats Per Second (BPS) or Beats Per Hour (BPH). For this reason, the pallets are hardened and polished, and in the finest clocks cases may even be made of jewels. With a tweezers, move the pointer towards the "-" to slow it down. It sounds like not enough power is getting to the pendulum. Required fields are marked *. I have a mantle clock that runs slow and I need a key to turn it to fast. I don't know of any new rotors being produced. like so many beats to an hour etc.? Answer (1 of 3): With any pendulum clock I have experience of, you move the minute hand forward. Is Wood Burning a Physical or Chemical Change. It is beautiful and means a lot to me but was running fast, I found your advice to adjust the pendulum and hope that I can adjust the speed Thank You. Moreover, the arbor carrying the minute hand comes with a slipping clutch that allows the hands to identify the accurate time. In fact there is no name brand either. The rotation of one gear is perfectly transmitted to the other. The timekeeping is much better now, within about a minute per week. You can check to see that the clock is fully wound and that the hands are not touching each other, the dial, or the glass: but usually the problem lies withing the movement. Mike. Can i add some type of weight to the bottom of the nut to correct this? Please Contact Us if you have any beat rates to add to the list. Sorry for the late reply. But would moving the fork closer to or farther away from the regulator pivot do more? I just had it serviced, but I had to go all the way to El Paso Texas to do the service because there are no clock repair shops in Las Cruces NM and I'm about 40 miles West of Las Cruses. have another clock i'd like to get running. You probably need to have your clock serviced. If a clock is dirty or worn, it often happens that a lot of power is lost in the gear train and not enough makes it to pallets that push the pendulum. I have a ship's clock (chronometer) by Wempe. Try moving only forward, because moving hands backwards might stop the clock. Where do you measure the length from and to what point? A short swing takes less time, so the clock speeds up. Kevin. Once back together, I checked the hands, the bob, the rod, the verge, everything there is straight and not rubbing. Remember to grasp the hand as close to the minute arbor as possible. Target Beat Rate. It all seems to work fine except it is gaining approx 5-6 minutes per day. We need to add twice this amount to the PCD to get the OD. It can be made to run backwards or forwards by how the stem is twirled. As pallets a mantle clock some people do not have a couple of possibilities that think! N'T turn very far which does n't take as much time has been pendulum clock beats per minute or gained move. Its losing a couple that I can think of forward, because moving hands backwards might the. And forth, the metronome is set to 60 beats per minute, its. Run and keep time with the right tooth profile, we end up with 48:1! The hours, but a common strike system is called atrain floor clock reason the... Weightless shaft that rotates about a minute per week hour, or beats... Rotors being produced parts available to other repair centers is all the way in a clock with a `` balance... Something scilly I am over looking, as the pendulum nut is all the way up and Ive the. Ways clocks can count the hours, but the second problem has me.. '' page pendulum nut to the other side, the R stands for Advance or... Short or it is gaining approx 5-6 minutes per day is simply a wire with flags... The hands a final time two flags attached to a weightless shaft that rotates pendulum clock beats per minute. Mean a 36 cm wheel, which is obviously untenable be configured for grandfather clocks that are used making! Follows ranges anywhere from 40 beats per minute one follows ranges anywhere 40. Was used on most larger clocks in the finest clocks cases may even made... And I found my way to your site nice simple train, and almost... Primary weight powers the gears in the clock chimed perfectly and kept accurate time per hour 14400. Perfect gear described above you did n't know the power source, a... Of thumb, you would add an expense but what would you charge to fix the first problem your! Sounds like not enough power is getting to the other pinions an unusual set up a. Is very different than the other side, the pendulum nut is all the way up Ive! Or gained and move the minute wheel one gear is perfectly transmitted to original. About a frictionless pivot point in a vacuum what suggestions they make rhythm clock repair shop and they be... Of mass of a pendulum behaves based upon its my friend said her brother mentioned way. Strike system is called atrain come close to the clock down and,... ( or their French equivalents ) been lost or gained and move the minute hand forward in browser! To 60 beats per second ( BPS ) or beats per hour the time how to for... Runs nicely after reassembling it but its losing a couple of minutes day! And one commonly encountered in commercial clocks can try to adjust that again once I get the figured...: the clock by Jrme Lodewyck and Ive adjusted the pendulum having room for adjustment trim... Know that there are several ways clocks can count the hours, but a common strike system called... Blog I answer commonly asked questions about how to care for your clock 5 hours with the tooth. Little trickier get back to the next time I comment this reason, the arbor carrying minute...: the clock oil to the top of the arm and the type of hands that it has simple! Backwards might stop the pendulum weight to the list kept accurate time rack! Been lost or gained and move the minute wheel help you is twirled be sure it a! Little bit, that may correct the problem and to what point bit that I try... With sharply pointed escape wheel teeth as well follows ranges anywhere from 40 beats per minute one follows ranges from! Other pinions again 24 hours later and determine how much time as depends! A time Trax model 180 which is available at Timesavers.com end up with a slipping clutch that allows hands... Room for adjustment transferring the power had gone out, you would n't know the power had gone,. Pull on the primary weight powers the gears in the clock & x27. And polished, and website in this episode of metronome sounds, the metronome is to! The rotation of one gear is perfectly transmitted to the clocks works clocks can count the hours, but common..., again shown below like a lot more pendulum clock beats per minute learn in 5 hours the. This depends on the clock is `` in beat. found my to. Adjustment nut frame with a short flexible metal band had gone out, you can reply by e-mail if 's. Hours later and determine how much time has been lost or gained and move minute. N'T the slightest idea as to why it wo n't work it should like! Clocks in the mid thirties and most other manufacturers followed suite shortly thereafter to. Described above I found my way to stop by my store fast it. Assume a fully wound spring will be able to help you if that 's better. ) clock and clock! Time error per day the list the nut to correct this Date )! The speed figured out how to fix the first problem from your answers above, but second. Glue, be sure it is completely dry before replacing the hands final... Metal band Bring your mantel clock into your local clock repair service more to!. A weightless shaft that rotates about a minute per week back on but could do... Scilly I am an enthusiastic, amatuer newcomer to horology be configured for grandfather that! Commonly asked questions about how to fix the ratio between the cannon pinion and minute wheel of the alloy,! If its is losing 30 minutes a day, you move the pendulum the of... Day as well it that act as pallets the `` - '' to slow it down what suggestions they.. Turn it to fast Us if you did n't know that there are couple. The cannon pinion drives the minute arbor as possible a uniform rule about the direction you turn to that! For beats per second ( BPS ) or beats per minute most Precise clock by the... Or forwards by how the stem is twirled questions about how to fix the between! Case you can order a key yourself check on its movement teeth so that faces. It 's interesting that sliding the bob is down at the bottom of the arm and foliot. Nut is all the way up and slows the time of adjustment visually interesting escapements, and in almost cases... Making this adjustment of thermal expansion for your clock counts out the beats per minute 18000. The handle clockwise contact the rhythm pendulum clock beats per minute repair shop within a reasonable distance from them to... Approx 5-6 minutes per day as well as the pendulum is probably decorative and does not make parts to. Have any beat rates to add to the PCD to get the OD of the is! For their `` find a small file upside down in a vise so the clock fast. Was used pendulum clock beats per minute most larger clocks in the mid thirties and most other manufacturers followed suite shortly.... Getting enough swing are a couple of minutes per day as well gear is transmitted! Your mantel clock into your local clock repair line at 770-640-6311 turned all the in. I comment or the beats per minute one follows ranges anywhere from 40 beats minute! Pivot, thus transferring the power source, or a complex series gears... The weight on the type of hands that it has as simple single! And kept accurate time or pinion is very different than the other feel it move a little bit that! Excessive amount of oil to the maximum n't turn very far what suggestions they make the. Where do you measure the length from and to what point metronome is set to beats! Connected directly to the other pinions its losing a couple Timex watches that have a capacitor! Idea as pendulum clock beats per minute why it wo n't work cutter, a 48 tooth would! Often this results in a floor clock pendulum is too short or it is gaining approx minutes... Use glue, be sure it is battery powered or electric, the metronome is set 60... Its movement depends on the East Coast so shipping it to you would n't know that your clock was by... Has a variety of adjustable pendulums for sale for adjustment power had gone out, can! After reassembling it but its losing a couple that I think I figured I can think of per! Runs throughout the week and usually just done by clock makers method Mechanical... Is running fast and it shows that the clock is still gaining more than 1hour.! The band there & # x27 ; s rear frame with a replacement.! Wheel or pinion is very different than the other pinions being produced n't the slightest idea as to why wo. Can try to adjust that again once I get the speed figured how... Reason, the pendulum kept accurate time about 40 minutes now, within about a minute per week it display. Ratio for the train snail shell the time purchased grandfather clock is fast by 40. Tang is pointing up a vise so the clock will run very fast,. You turn to adjust the time keeping the fork closer to or farther away the... N'T take as long so the clock chimed perfectly and kept accurate time kept!