Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 8/26/2010

Question
QUESTION: I have recently acquired a Kundo anniversary clock that I was told was in working condition and have been trying to figure out how to get it to work properly. It may have been over wound as it needs no winding. The minute hand can manually be advanced, the torsion pendulum seems balanced and rotates but I do not hear a click and the time never advances at all. I have been searching for a diagram of how to check the gear train assembly, to see if I can see what is not working properly. Any suggestions?

ANSWER: not over wound, just fully wound- a good thing.

there are many clock repair shops that refuse to work on these because they are delicate and can be complicated to the novice.

the fork hanging off the top of the suspension wire and pointing into the clock at the top, encloses a vertical pin attached to the escape anchor verge -below the fork is the escape wheel.

a turn of the balls twists the anchor  right and then left and allows the escape wheel to index one tooth each time. the escape wheel should have power to it and be wanting to turn freely when the verge tooth holding a tooth of the escape wheel releases it.

you may not be able to hear it but can easily SEE this happening --if it is!

the thin suspension wire may be bent so it never allows the verge to move. the center rest position of the rotating balls should have the vertical pin on the verge centered between releasing one tooth on the escape wheel and catching it with the other.there is sometime an adjusting screw on the very top of the suspension hanger to allow re-centering.

beyond this you need a pro

you can read up here, lotsa luck:

ftp://atmos-man.com/atmos/400-day.doc

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

QUESTION: I am having fun learning about this delicate, intricate little clock and thank you so much for your response. I am still not fully understanding the total picture however I am getting somewhere. The rotating balls when spinning fully enough seem to cause the anchor to move the pin enough to turn the escape wheel and advance the time. The problem is the rotating balls loose momentum. If my clock is fully wound; isn't this what should keep the balls rotating? (I did adjust the screw at the top of the suspension wire to center. thank you, but after time the fork does not rock back and forth anymore. I noticed a tiny screw on the side near the top one. Do you know what this one is for? Maybe the screw on top is stripped?)

Answer
larger screw is generally black and has the slot facing up and loostening it up allows the head of the holder of the top block with the suspension spring in it to be rotated to the proper location so the tick occurs at EXACTLY the same spot at the end of the right hand rotation of the balls as the tock occurs in the left hand rotation of the balls. careful when re-tightening it because the actual tightening will move the head holder also.

to judge this - get the balls rotating till it just BARELY makes it to a tick in one direction--then you can judge the amount of overswing past the tock you get when it goes the other way --and then can center it better.

a VERY minute drop of oil on the entrance face of the anchor and the exit face of the other (where the teeth from the escape wheel hit and then slide off) might help.

little silver screw at the side (do not mess with it)holds the block with the upper end of the suspension spring in the round holder under the black screw.

Yes it should work if all is adjusted right but then there are 12 other things that could be wrong beyond what we have mentioned.