Expert: Martin Meyer - 4/23/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I recently was given a Smiths English Chiming clock. It has three winders. When I got it the front left winder had jumped out of the location hole. So I loosened the screws and moved it back, Success, the clock runs lovely, and chimes on the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and hour and plays the Westminster chime. Question: Should this clock ALSO strike the hours?? It doesn't at present! Is there a lever inside that needs to be moved etc? Many thanks in advance for any help. By the way the clock is dated inside as 12th July 1955.

ANSWER: Hi Phil,

The Smith's longcase movement should chime on every quarter and strike the hours on the hour. The only shutoff lever is the chime silencer, which is a lever at the 3:00 position on the dial. This lever turns off the chime and the hour strike. There is no separate lever to shut off the hour strike only.

I'm not sure if your clock is a cable drive (which you wind with a key) or a chain drive (which you wind by pulling the chains), so I'm not sure exactly what you are referring to by the "winder". However, in either case, the left winding arbor (shaft) or left sprocket wheel holds the weight which powers the hour strike. It is probable that this part or some part related to it is not properly installed.

If you loosened the four screws which hold the front and back main plates together, it is also possible that some other gear or gears in the strike train slipped from their correct alignment. These gears are indexed to each other, and must be set up with a precise alignment relative to each other, for the clock to be able to strike the hours. The adjustment of these gears is a complex job, and should be attempted only by a professional clock repairer.

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

QUESTION: Hi thanks for that. Maybe I should have been clearer. The clock is a mantle clock, and all I need to do to reset the slipped winder was to loosen the front plate ratchet. It has no cables or weights but has 3 front face winders and a pendulum. The chimes work perfect, and it keeps time very well. When I got the clock I had to adjust the crutch to get it to start and keep going (using advice from this site). It chimes when I believe it should (as stated above), but it does not strike the hours. when I reset the winder I did not loosen any other screws. I use the night time silent on the front face every night and that works perfect. The winder I describe, is the spigot where the keys goes to winder the spring within the barrel (apologies for terminology!)
Hope this is enough for you to help me, thanks in advance.
Phil Jones.

Answer
Hi again Phil,

Since you didn't have to separate the main plates, none of the problems I mentioned about indexing gears would be an issue. As long as you can see that the mainspring barrel gear is engaging properly with the second gear, and you are able to wind the mainspring fully, then the problem probably is not related to your reconnection of the mainspring barrel and arbor assembly.

Since the mainspring arbor was loose or out when you received the clock, I would closely examine the gear teeth in the strike train, especially the second gear, for damage. If the arbor came loose when the mainspring was under power (i.e. wound) this is a real possibility. Also look closely at the second wheel shaft to see if it is bent, which often happens when a mainspring suddenly releases power.

Other than these possibilities, I would lubricate all bearing holes with clock oil, then watch the movement (out of the clock) as it chimes the hour, and look for any point where there is a loss of power or a jam in the strike gear train, or in the series of levers on the front main plate which activate the hour strike. The operation of these levers is fairly complicated, and there are many possible causes of strike failure.