Electric Clock with mechanical chimes

[dalangdon]

I recently picked up an electric grand-something clock (Father? Mother? who knows). It's unique in that is has a mechanical chime mechanism, which is something I haven't seen.

The trouble is that the chimes are seriously out of sync, chiming about five minutes after the time they should chime (i.e. chiming at 12:05 instead of 12, etc) It's also out of sync for the chime intervals.

Does anyone have experience with this? Our local clock repair services are snobs who won't touch it

 

[mrboilwash]

The hands might only be loosely clipped on so you could try to move them to a full hour by hand when the chime comes on.

 

[sudsmaster]

Good luck with that. I don't have a similar clock, but would be interested in knowing what the ultimate solution might be.

 

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

Usually these clocks self regulate to the correct strikes. It has to run I believe about 12 hours until it catches up. As for it chiming at 12:05 instead of 12:00 on some clocks you can adjust the hour hand by simply removing and repositioning it 5 minutes back. There are many how to videos on Youtube. This is a fairly modern clock with brass internals. What brand is it?

 

[bradfordwhite]

#1

I agree with #1

 

[sudsmaster]

Because some people block posts, and the message numbers do not stay constant, it is often helpful to mention names of those you agree with, rather than message numbers.

 

[mrboilwash]

Pulling the hands off the clockwork and repositioning them 5 minutes back as Louis suggested will work in any case, even if the hands-clockwork connection is made of a "gear type" which wouldn`t allow to move the hands without moving the clockwork as well.

So I`m with #3 too, (well at least if #1 doesn`t work) ;-)

Oh, and who cares if those numbers get mixed up? Only a small childish minority will be affected. It`s their problem not ours.[this post was last edited: 4/29/2023-02:37]

 

[kenwashesmonday]

I believe that's a Telechron - Revere mechanism.  They sold a lot of mantle clocks with that motor / mechanism.

 

[dalangdon]

The clock is a “Butler”.

I *think I may have fixed it, through brute force (from a clock’s perspective): I moved the minute hand counter-clockwise to the correct time, not allowing the mechanism to cycle. So far, it’s been behaving.

It’s missing a second hand, which is no big deal (how many grand something clocks are electric, let alone have a second hand?) but it needs something to keep the hour and minute hand in place. I’ve looked at other old clocks in thrift shops, but the second hand always has a pin that plugs into a shaft. This one is an oddball.

 

[cfz2882]

cool that problem is likely fixed i was wondering who made the clock-looks like it is from the 1950s.There were a lot of cheapo versions of these clocks in the 1970s-early 80s-spartus comes to mind,some chimed.

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

Butler is still in business, and they are a relatively inexpensive brand. I would say your clock is from the late 1960's to early 1980's. Glad your clock is working correctly now.

 

[rp2813]

Dan, first off -- good to see you posting here!

 

I'm late to this party but I was going to suggest exactly the action you took.  I have an old version of this Telechron system in an art deco mantle clock.  It was notorious for having a different problem:  often striking with one less than required due to an overly aggressive spring assembly that would eliminate the first gong, which meant none at all for the One O'Clock hour.  I would assume that by the time your clock was produced, this issue had been corrected, but you never know.

 

I finally retired the mantle clock after attempting to adjust the silencing lever in such a way that the striker bounced back enough to make contact the second time, which eked out one extra gong, but the rhythm was annoying. 

 

Everything I've shared above could be moot since your clock is newer and its chime is more complex (mine just strikes out the gong without playing a chime), but perhaps some of the info may still apply.  You can click on the link to the Telechron Clock forum for more information.  Meanwhile, I'll check my copy of Electrifying Time to see if it has information on your clock and if it does, I'll share it here.

 

I hope you're doing well,

 

Ralph

Telechron Clock Home Page

 

[dalangdon]

Ultramatic, that's what I was thinking as well - although I think it's probably more 60's/very early 70's. Both the styling and the chime mechanism seem more of that era. By the late 70's/Early 80's they were starting to use synth chimes (and they usually look a lot more cheap)

Thanks Ralph. I still pop in from time to time (no pun intended). I'd be interested in finding out what is supposed to be on end of the hands - was there a second hand, or a really tiny gasket.

 

[Ultramatic]

Real mechanical chimes...

 

 

Nothing beats them. Electronic chimes never, regardless of the brand, sound true.