Weight driven wall clock

Last Edited By Krjb Donovan
Last Updated: Mar 11, 2014 07:40 PM GMT

Question

Regarding a weight driven, chiming wall clock I bought at second-hand store: the chimes work, but pendulum doesn't keep going. The front dial says it's a Linden, the movement is stamped in middle on back "Cuckoo Clock Mfg Inc Germany". Lower left back shows "AMS W150M Made in Germany". Bottom center shows "math Pendell 44cm". When I looked close, it seems the chain drive wheel for the time is designed to turn in the same direction as the chime. If I push the next gear (that's driven by the time weight), in the opposite direction of the weight's pull, the pendulum will keep going. Otherwise, the weight wants to drive the time gears in the wrong direction. Do you suppose this clock was once in for repair and someone mistakenly popped in the drive wheel for the chimes? The ratchet on the weight gear doesn't look like it can be flipped over to go the opposite direction. There is no scratching or bent pieces, so it doesn't seem an amateur has been fiddling with it. I'm new to these kind of clocks, but I speculate that the chain drive wheels should be turning in opposite directions, not both the same as my clock is. Thanks for your insight. Mike Socier.

Answer

The question would be, when you apply reverse pressure to the gear to keep the pendulum moving, what direction does the minute hand go? I suspect that either the pendulum is simply out of beat or the movement is in need of a cleaning & overhaul which would be a fairly common situation for clocks purchased at second-hand stores.

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