Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 2/11/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hello Ken.  I recently acquired a brass SCHATZ ships bell/clock.  It took a while for the timing of the correct time to come about(I was adjusting the little screw on the face with a "s" and "f" adjustment I believed to mean slow/fast)The clock face is represented in both hours and military time.  My question is how do I adjust the "bell" ringing.  It currently "dings" haphazardly with no connection to a particular time of day, it also seems not to be terribly loud. there are no indications of model or determining characteristics.  the face simply says SCHATZ, ships bell, 8 day, 7 jewels, made in Germany.  Can you give me any info, if nothing else someone else or place to turn to.

thanks very much, Guy

ANSWER: <<<It currently "dings" haphazardly with no connection to a particular time of day, it also seems not to be terribly loud>>>

Ships bells strike that way - no connection to the time of day only to that of a 4 hour watch on board ship. 4  8   and 12 are 8 bells and 4:30   8:30  and 12:30  begin with one bell and add one bell for each half hour till you get to 8 bells again.

 The loudness may or may not be adjustable internally by a pro- not being able to hear it I do not know what "terribly" sounds like to you --get a pro opinion.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION:

Good Morning Ken

I've happened upon two interesting points--hopefuly meaningful to you.

1) I've discovered that the clock needs to be upright for the bell to be "in synch".  to this day I have had the clock lying on it's back, not yet mounted--is this telling???

2) I have tracked the bell since 11:00 a.m. last friday,
first chime I was around for was at 11:00--7 bells
11:30--8 bells
12:00--1 bell
12:30--2 bells

on track there after

obviuosly it is chiming one hour off

11:00 should have been 6 bells,  right??

Any ideas on how to fix,

does the clock have to be upright to be working correctly??

thanks for your time

Guy

ANSWER: does the clock have to be upright to be working correctly?? YES

11:00 should have been 6 bells,  right??  YES 7 bells would be 11:30 so you need to alter the hands 1/2 hour ahead by following the steps below:


Remove the nut holding the minute hand on the clock and remount  it 180 degrees and replace the nut and push the hour hand clockwise 1/2 hour ahead to be being between the next number and the one it was pointing at.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: OK got it, thanks, BUT

Having now just reset the minute hand from 1:50, to 2:20 and moving the hour hand ahead 1/2 hour to be between 2:00 and 3:00 as I believe you instructed?? the clock will now read 2:30 now when it is 2:00.  Am I correct??

thanks

Guy

Answer
<<<<<Having now just reset the minute hand from 1:50, to 2:20 and moving the hour hand ahead 1/2 hour to be between 2:00 and 3:00 as I believe you instructed?? the clock will now read 2:30 now when it is 2:00.  Am I correct??>>>>   YES

now when you move the minute hand clockwise to 3:00 it should clang 6 times - which is correct for 3:00--continue to set the current time.