Expert: William J Perkins - 2/5/2008

Question
Hello Bill.  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
Setting up a ship's bell clock can be tricky and best be done by someone having expertise in the procedure.  As a very begining that person should be cognizant of the striking sequences.  The clock should chime on the half hour in order to indicate time to the men on watch aboard vessels.  At the end of each half hour of watch, an additional note is sounded, until eight notes are finally struck.  This sequence of notes is repeated during each of the six four-hour watches.  The first watch is from 8:00pm to midnight.  As to the volume of the chimes that is adjusted by the positioning of the hammer.  The closer it is set to the bell the louder it will be.  The latitude of sound adjustment is not great, set to close all you get is a klunk, set to far away you get nothing.   Regards WJP