Expert: William J Perkins - 7/8/2008

Question
QUESTION: We recently acquired a grandmother clock in an oak case from an estate.  No instructions were with it.  It might have been made from a kit as the wood was stained, but had never had finish applied.  I finished it, we moved it into the livingroom, and leveled it.  It looks wonderful and keeps good time, but it will not chime.  
From reading your other questions and answers we were able to position the weights.  The outer two weights do not move. There are 'arms' that would appear to dampen the chimes, but they are moved up out of the way.  On the left is a lever which moves up and down...we have tried it both ways, but it makes no difference and we cannot see what it is happening behind the dial. Do you know of a way the chimes might have been shut off.  
On the back of the works it says:
    82
    HERMLE
    Black Forest Clock
    451-0508
    94cm
     66
We would appreciate any photos, help, or advice you can give.

ANSWER: I suspect your suspicion of the clock being made from a kit is correct.  The movement reference is to one commonly provided for grandmother clock kits.  Regardless of that, since the movement was made in 1982, I doubt if there would be much wrong with it.  Most of the clocks developed around this movement had a lever to shut the Chime/Strike train off or on.  It appears you have found these levers and have tried the various positions afforded.  Since adjustment make no difference and hammer locks are positioned out of the way we must assume we can eliminate them from the problem.  Here is what I would like you to do.  Remove the side opening of the case hood so that you can directly view the movement, do this operation from the right side of the clock as you face it.  If your clock does not have the side openings you will have to do this by removing the case back and viewing the movements action from there.  Have someone move the minute hand to cock and release the time train.  If as a result the hammers start moving we will know some specific things, if the hammers don't move it will tell us something else.  I will need to know the results of this simple test.  With that information at hand, I can make relevant determinations.  Regards WJP

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

QUESTION: There is no side opening so we took the back off and looked at the side with the heavy weight (the left as we faced the back).  This is the side with the lever that might operate the 'on and off' for the chimes.  When the lever is down, there is a little sound that sounds like something is starting...at the same time you can see a set-screw (?) with a collar on a small shaft turn clockwise about the distance of the thickness of a nickel and then go back to its original position.  Nothing else happens. No other gears or hammers move.
We sincerely appreciate your help...hope this explanation gives you a clue.  Thank you.

Answer
The noise you heard was the cocking of the chime train.  I suspect the release mechanism is not doing its thing.  I also believe the set screw and the collet, (collar) you saw is part of the problem.  The set screw has perhaps become loosened resulting in the shaft it is secured to being no longer in its proper position.  I suggest you have a local clock repair person make this adjustment.  It is not a difficult task, if you are familiar with such a procedure, if your not familiar I urge getting the expert.  If you are cogent enough to do the task, you would need no instructions from me.  You could figure it out simply by observation