Expert: Martin Meyer - 1/14/2008

Question
I have a clock with a chain powered 101M movement with Westminster Chimes.  The weights are in the correct order. The clock keeps time, but does not chime. If you raise and lower the lever that silences the clock when the clock just passes the hour, the clock will chime and continue until the next hour chime.  If you to move this lever every hour, the clock will chime the correct hour and at the quarter hour, etc. How can I fix this?

Answer
Hi Murray,
    This is a problem which will require the services of a professional clock repairer.
    The chime mechanism is controlled by a star wheel with four points mounted on the hand shaft. One point of this star is longer than the other three, and triggers a series of levers that operate the chime mechanism on the hour. What is happening in your clock is that the long point is not lifting the chime levers high enough to trigger the chime on the hour. This can be due to wear or need of adjustment in the chime mechanism parts. Determining the specific point where the problem is occurring, and knowing how to correct it, is a technical problem which requires familiarity with the movement.