Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 10/18/2008

Question
When a friend of ours moved his Ridgeway chain drive grandfather clock the right chain fell out completely along with the weight.  In fact, it went right through the bottom of the clock :(  Needless to say he never read the part where you are supposed to take the weights off before moving the clock.  When I was trying to help him pull the chain through, it would no longer hold the weight - which is the heaviest of all the weights.  I threaded the chain around, but it seemed like it wouldn't "catch" so that the weight didn't go right through the bottom again.  Can you please help?

Answer
the ratchet wheel:  http://www.clock-keys.com/CART/images/20679.JPG

the spokes in the steel part engage the links in the chain and they are only supposed to turn one direction- if it turns both ways the gear is shot.

to put the chain on the right side, feed the non weight end of the chain over the top of the spokes in the sproket and push the sproket on the top toward the inside of the mechanism and feed the chain over and down and then drop the weight end throught the hole in the seatboard. while feeding the chain over the top it should click as you move it like the other chains do when  you pull them up.