Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 11/16/2010

Question
QUESTION: Dear Kenneth,
  I have a wall clock with a Franz Hermle 351-050 clock works.  The clock has started to only chime on the odd hours and on the 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 hour times associated with an odd hour.  Example.  The clock will chime at 1:00, 1:15, 1:30, and 1:45.  It will not chime at 2:00, 2:15, 2:30 and 2:45.  I noticed that when the clock chimes, a lever located just slightly top right of center is raised and allows a cylinder having one rib to rotate.  During the even hour cycle, this lever drops down and does not allow the cylinder to rotate.  Any suggestions on how to fix this problem?

 Thanks for your help.


ANSWER: Sounds like you have the dial off? you need to to fix this yourself--advise ..........

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

QUESTION: Yes, I have the dial off and the works removed from the clock's housing to observe the works' movement.

Answer
see the attached photo


the "lift arm" is a V shaped brass arm, hinged at the base of the V on a pin. this controls the lifting of the chime lever every 15 minutes. one of the 4 lifts is extra high for the hour un-lock-resetting feature.

You are not getting enough lift on the lever

you need to make the V wider at the "top" of the "V"

hold the upper leg with finger and use small pliers on the lower arm to bend downward maybe a 1/16" and try it

too much bend and it will chime the 16 note sequence and then the hour strike at all 4 positions not just one

too little and you have your current situation