Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 9/16/2008

Question
QUESTION: We have a Jacques tall clock with 9 tubes and moon dial.  There is a number on back of movement that is S607840  (the S could possibly be a 2 and the final 0 could possible be an O).  We inherited the clock perhaps 10 years ago.  It was not running because the pendulum was not hung correctly and the weights were not inn proper order.  I fixed that and it ran for several years and stopped.  I took it to a shop in Minneapolis and it was re-bushed about 3 years ago.  We have moved 150 miles from the repair shop that did the re-bushing, so it is not easy to get the clock back to the shop.  It has stopped ticking.  I have tried to see the escapement, but can't see it.  Do you know where I might find an exploded view (or something like it) so I can look more intelligently from the sides of the movement.  I don't want to take the movement out unless I have to---I would need to make some sort of stand for it.

Right now I can't see the escapement although I suspect the problem is there.  I think it could also be the setup cams for the chimes but not sure.  Only runs a couple minutes and that seems true even if not in the chime setup area.

ANSWER: 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: thank you for fast response.  All of the above is in order except that it doesn't tick.  I moved the slot away from the pendulum and moved that arm back and forth, but no tick mmost of the time and no advance of second hand.  There was an occasional tick but seemed to be off to one side.  Is it possible that the escapement arm could be loose on the shaft?   At any rate it looks like I have to take it out of the case.

Answer
let's review-- it worked for 3 years after you had it overhauled and then in the middle of the night 1/2 way through the winding week, un-touched by human hands it stopped, never to tick again??? OR had you just wound it up? gone away for a month? Moved the clock to the other room? anything?

Remove the pendulum and move full left to right the remaining portion of the upper pendulum hanger and see if you can get a tick tock and the second hand to move.

The escape arm is made to be loose on the shaft as I explained, moving the pendulum upper hanger all the way left and then right will adjust this clutch in the escapement arm.