Ansonia wall clock

QuestionEdit

My son gave me a clock that did not work? I wound it a few turns, and it appeared to work well. My question is- there are two key holes in the face, I wound the clock 3 turns there with no problem, what is the other hole for? Also there is another key in some gears to the lower left of the clock, near the spring, what are they? I now next to nothin g about these clocks, but it certainly is not broke. Any hel[p would be greatly appreciated.

AnswerEdit

Bill, the general convention is that on a clock with two winding arbors, the one on the right is for the time, the one on the left is for the strike. It is probably an 8-day clock, so a full wind on both winding arbors will run and strike the clock for 1 week. With the description of the key and gears on the lower left of the clock, that is probably the alarm. There should be a small round disc in the center hole of the dial with the numbers 1 through 12. When the clock is set up properly, the alarm can be set for the next morning (let's say 6 o'clock)by slipping the disc with the 6 under the hour hand. Then wind the alarm spring. Don't set it more than 12 hours before the required alarm time or it will go off prematurely. Like if you set it for 6 in the morning at 5 in the afternoon, it will go off in one hour at 6 in the afternoon. One more further comment, it is very unusual for a wall clock to have one of these alarm mechanisms. They are usually on mantel or shelf clocks, most of them being what is called the kitchen gingerbread clocks. If I am off my ideas on this clock or