Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 11/27/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello and thank you for taking time out with my question.
I just bought a Welby westminster chime mantle clock that I got working by simply cleaning and oiling all the moving parts.  Has a beautiful sound, though I know the clock probably isn't worth much.  
Case says "Western Germany"
The works say "76. Elgin Clock Division. Elgin National Watch Co.  Two (2) Jewels.  Made in West Germany.  Unadjusted.  350-060"
it is a carriage style clock with mohogany case about 14" high. Three wind holes.
(I'm attaching a pic, but I'm away from home and having to do this with my cell phone so I don't know if it will download properly.  I'll be glad to send a new message with pics from my home computer if you don't get these.)

My main question is what is the approximate date of the clock?
Secondly, it runs via spinning balance wheel with a - & + sign etched in the brass on either side, but I see no way to adjust it.  There is no lever or obvious way of adjusting the speed.  The clock runs a little slow so if you have any instructions on how to adjust it, they would be very much appreciated.
Again, thank you so much for your time.





My main question is

ANSWER: Hermle movement made in 1976 Germany

: Little tricky but..here is photo (below)of the regulating unit on the top rear of your clock movement- hold the rim of #6 while moving any one of the 3 prongs on #5 as far as it will go to the right with a pencil. This will make it go as fast as it can without overhaul.

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

QUESTION: Thank you so much for clearing up my last question.  
I have adjusted the three-pronged wheel as fast as it will go and it still runs quite slow.
I have removed the movement, cleaned and oiled it, but it still loses anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes every 24 hours on its fastest setting, 20 to 25 minutes on its slowest.  
I have been told that the mainspring could be getting weak.  Is this a possibility?  The mainspring barrel looks fairly easy to replace but I wanted a second opinion.
Thank you once again for your time!
Sincerely, Tim

ANSWER: not the mainspring

I think you introduced problems when you "I have removed the movement, cleaned and oiled it"

how did you clean it how did you oil it what did you do for the blance unit ???

try here: ftp://atmos-man.com/repair/hermle.doc

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

QUESTION: Thank you for the quick reply.
Unfortunately, my computer won't open the page for the above address.
Removing the movement in one piece was easy, no damage, and I was very careful with it.
My inexperience with maintaining these might have posed a problem though, you're right.  I cleaned it with an ammonia solution, then oiled all the pivots with regular machine oil, and I didn't take the movement apart to clean it.  Perhaps I should have, and perhaps the machine oil is too heavy for clock works.  Another thing I think I did wrong was to oil the balance unit, which I've since heard shouldn't be oiled.  
I hope this info helps..... thank you very much for your info and patience.
Tim

Answer
Another thing I think I did wrong was to oil the balance unit, which I've since heard shouldn't be oiled.  


there is the problem-- remove the balance assembly by the two silver screws holding it and clean in alcohol only - dry and put back ---advise

The balance wheel is contained within the bracket.   This bracket is sometimes referred to as the floating balance unit.  There are no balance staff pivots.  Instead, the balance staff is a hollow tube.  A taut steel wire runs through the tube.  The hairspring is a double helical or cylindrical spring. One end is attached to a stud at the top of the bracket. The other end is colleted and attached normally at a point above the balance staff. The length of the spring is adjusted to make the balance wheel float suspended above the bottom of the bracket. This suspension of the wheel eliminates a great deal of friction as well as providing for shock-proofing. To run properly, the balance wheel must be kept close to a horizontal position.

  This self-contained balance unit needs no lubricating. It can be cleaned by rinsing in a good quality solvent (99% isopropryl alcohol or one dip hairspring cleaner) and blown dry. The thin wire is fragile, always handle the unit with care.
Adjustments

  Normally all adjustments are made at the factory.  Do not make any alterations unless malfunctioning clearly indicates a speclfic problem.

1.   Banking pins are formed from the bottom of the steel bracket. These are to be open only enough to allow proper drop at entrance and exit pins.

2.   These pins should “rest” about ¾ of the way down the locking surface of the escape wheel.  For practally sake anywhere from ½ the way down to almost the bottom of the locking surface will suffice.

3.   The roller jewel consists of two polished pins. These must not rub the side of the fork excessively. Nor can they have too much shake in the fork slot.

4.   The head of the fork has been tipped at right angles to the fork stem. The right side or horn of the fork is elongated to form a guard pin. This pin works in conjunction with the "C" shaped safety roller. Interaction of the vertical guard pin and the C roller prevents the escapement from rebanking.  When the balance wheel is in a counterclockwise swing, the pin rides just clear of the outside of the C safety roller. A clockwise swing brings the guard pin inside the C where it rides just clear again. If sluggish balance wheel action is present, check to see that the guard pin is not dragging inside or outside the C roller. During this check, the fork is against the banking pin. Diagram (3).

5.   Regulating for fast and slow consists of sliding the two-small weights attached to the center of the balance wheel.  Inwards for fast and outwards for slow.  Hold the small adjustment "finger", Diagram (2), and rotate the wheel.  Moving the finger one dot represents a change of 10 seconds per day.  Occasionally a balance unit will continue to run slow at maximum fast adjustment.  Diagram (2) shows to adjust the balance to run faster.  Small dots on the wheel are easily punched out and be sure to properly secure the balance on a hole stake or "holed" anvil for support before you remove any of these dots.

  Punch out dots only in pairs, one on each side of the balance wheel, exactly opposite each other.  Dots (weights) are always removed equally from each side of the balance wheel.

  It is critical that all other adjustments and set-ups must be correct before you start removing or adding weight to adjust the speed and this includes making sure that the movement has been properly serviced.

6.   The cylindrical hairspring used in this escapement serves a practical purpose.  Note that the spring reverses spiral direction at its halfway point.  A single spiral spring would cause the balance wheel to move up and down as the spring coiled and uncoiled.  The opposing spirals keep the wheel moving in the same plane.
  As with the flat hairspring, the balance is put into beat by turning the hairspring collet, in this case the finger.  Diagram (1) shows the small finger attached to the upper collet at the top of the bracket.  This finger is moved clockwise of counterclockwise as required to bring the roller jewel into alignment with the pallet arbor.

  Repairing a broken balance wheel wire is fairly simple.  Do not distort or otherwise danmage the hairspring when handling.  Select a wire about .25mm in diameter.  Crimp it in the wire slot at the bottom of the bracket.  Thread it through the balance tube, pull taut and crimp at the bracket top.  Adjust the tension by gently bending up the top of the bracket overhang.  Check to see that the whole unit truly floats on the spring.  Neither the top nor the bottom of the balance tube should touch the bracket.

  You should have 180 degrees rotation each direction.

       One of the "tricks" I perform is to place a beat amplifier near the balance and then spin it very wide and fast.

       This way you will hear if anything is rubbing.  Usually the fork’s position has been incorrectly adjusted after it leaves the factory.  By spinning the balance wide you should only hear the ticking of the pallet pins as they contact the escape wheel.  Any other noise will indicate that something is amiss and that most always is the fork position.


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