Expert: Martin Meyer - 12/18/2007

Question
I have a 20 year old Howard Miller Grandfather Clock with a 2 year old Hermle movement.  I have two questions:  1) About 4 weeks ago, I notice that at 2 o'clock it would only strike 1 time, at 3 o'clock it strikes 2 times, at 4 o'clock it strikes 3 times and at 5 o'clock it strikes 4 times.  All other times were correct.  What could cause repeated miss strikes for only a few time periods?  2) Now the clock will stop at 25 minutes to the hour.  I can restart it and it will run for one hour (until the next 25 minutes of the hour) e.g.  it will stop at 1:35, then 2:350, then 3:35 etc.  I thought it was strange that it would run for exactly an hour then stop.  When I restart it, it takes a couple of swings of the pendulum before it will start to tick.  Any ideas on this one.  Thanks ...Billy


Answer
Hi Billy,
    This is a very difficult question to answer without having the movement in front of me. Clocks often strike the wrong number of times at 11, 12 and 1, due to improper indexing of the snail, but for this to happen at 2 through 5 seems to rule this out. Additionally, if the clock stops at  :10, :25 and :40, right before the clock is preparing to chime, it suggests that the chime is mechanism is jamming. But to stop right AFTER the clock has chimed (I'm assuming that it is chiming at each quarter), is highly unusual.
    I can only guess at the general cause of the problem, but my suspicion is that the strike mechanism is not completing the final strike in the 2 through 5 sequences, and the strike levers are left in a striking configuration, which is in turn stopping the clock. This is only a partial answer, because the strike and chime mechanisms are interconnected, and I also don't know the underlying cause of the strike not completing its final note.
    I'm afraid that, for this complicated problem, you will need to have a qualified clock repairer take a look at your clock. It is likely a minor problem of adjustment, which can be rectified with a service call.