Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 8/26/2008

Question
QUESTION: I have a Selva grandmother clock about 15 years old. When moving the weights up one day the center weight cover came off and the chain went too high. We took the clock works out to get the chain back on so we could attach the weight after fixing it. We got the chain on, put the works back in the case and attached the weights. We hung the pendulum and started the clock. It will not keep going and the tick-tock does not seem as loud as it was. We took the works out again  to see that we got the chain on correctly. It looks correct but something is not right. Tried running the clock with just the center weight. Isn't the center weight the one that runs the clock and the two outside weights the chimes? Appreciate any suggestions you might have. Thank you.

ANSWER: center weight is the time and the right the quarter chime and the left the hour strike.

run through this and report back:
-The pendulum assembly begins at the top with a 1" two legged suspension spring pinned to a brass post sticking out of the back of the rear movement plate.
  Next a silver(probably) suspension leader about 5" long that hooks onto the bottom of the suspension spring and passes through the "foot" shaped forked brass piece (and must be in the center of the fork slot and not be rubbing front or back) that connects into the inside of the movement. Newer movements have a horizontal bar that fits in the brass suspension leader slot.
  Lastly the top of the pendulum hooks onto the bottom of this suspension leader. NOW if all is correctly assembled, swinging the pendulum will get it ticking. The sound of the ticking must sound even or balanced on either side. Not over-swinging one side or the other.
  If it is not sounding even, then push with your hand the top third of the pendulum over to the side that has the excessive overswing. You may feel some resistance but gently push a bit more then try the sound of the ticking after swinging the pendulum freely.
  If the sound is not improved in the balance then do more pushing -if it is now sounding like excessive swing in the opposite direction then push the pendulum to the other side till it sounds a pretty even tick. Clock should run then. .(There is a little slip clutch that you are adjusting when you push the "L" shaped foot to either side.)
  There are a hundred things that could be wrong- you have just taken a tour through the repair of what is wrong 98% of the time!


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

QUESTION: Thanks Ken for such a quick response. This clock has a little screw for that adjustment. We adjust until we have the tick and tock equal.All of the parts of the pendulum seem to be assembled correctly as far as we know. Nothing is rubbing. The tick-tock is louder as it should be and it still stops. Maybe we did something when taking it out of the case to fix the chain. Did notice that the brass rod that attaches at the top with a 90 degree turn into the clock and at the bottom (5" long) has a 90 degree turn going into the pendulum hole where the adjustment takes place was bent out away from the back of the clock about 5 degrees. Should it come straight down and be equal distance from the back plate of the clock? Hope this is not too confusing. It is hard to describe when we don't know what the parts are called. The screw to adjust the pendulum position- and tick-tock turns very hard. Could we put some WD40 on it or what is the best to use for lubrication. In all of the adjusting that we did we broke a small part. Is there a place on line to buy parts. It is the little thing at the very top that holds the pendulum. To describe it - two very small brass plates connected with two very thin straps. the bottom plate has pins sticking out each side to hold the pendulum and the top plate fits in the slot of a larger brass rod with a screw that holds it in. One of the very thin straps broke loose. To solder would probably make things off balance. Good luck trying to understand all of this. Thanks again for your great help.

Answer
<<<Should it come straight down and be equal distance from the back plate of the clock?>>> NO, not an issue but the joint between this piece and the swinging pendulum leader should be 90 degrees.

Any oil on the screw adjuster will do.

The part you broke is critical to having the clock run and is called the suspension spring and is available at any clock shop (bring the two pieces) or on line:
http://www.timesavers.com/catalogmain2.asp?ProductID=20802&submit1=Search