Expert: John Newman - 5/15/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hello. I just received an old Wm.L.Gibert mantle clock. I'd guess it's approximately 70 years old? The hourly strike works, but will not stop striking. I did a little research and read that I should move the minute hand back to the 8, and then clockwise to 12, until it strikes the correct hour. It just keeps striking endlessly, until I move the minute hand back to 8. But once I move it to 12, it starts all over again. I removed the works to oil it, and can't see anything obvious. Any suggestions? Thanks!
ANSWER: John, unless you know the sequence of the strike train (mechanism) and the positions of the 3 levers that have to synchorize to stop it, you probably won't "see anything obvious."  Looking at the front of the movement, there is a large wheel (gear) on the left with long notches in it.  It is called the count wheel.  There are two different configurations. One is that there will be 2 long notches next to each other, then a short one, then two short ones.  This will continue for each hour until you reach 11 short notches between the long ones and you have made one complete revolution of the wheel as it strikes the 12.  Then it starts over at the one.  This type would control the hour strikes and not the 1/2 hour strike, which would be non-existant or trip a 1/2 hour strike by another lever.  The other configuration would be that you would have an additional single long notch after the count of the hours and this would trip the 1/2 hour.  The purpose of the three levers is to stop the strike sequence when one of the levers drops into a long notch.  This is where the synchronization of the levers has to be right on.  If that lever does not drop down into the long notch or the 3rd lever does not come in contact with a stop pin on another wheel, it will continue striking.  Hope I haven't confused you too much.  The purpose of this was to let you know what could be happening, rather than how to correct the problem.  The sequence of correcting the levers is a little complicated.  Hope this helps.

John Newman
THE VILLAGE CLOCKSMITH
Historic Downtown Prattville
Alabama

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

QUESTION: Thanks John! It's definitely the first configuration you mention. There is no 1/2 hour strike. The lever is dropping down into the long notches, so it sounds like the 3rd lever is not coming into contact with the stop pin on another wheel. Further, if I manually hold the lever down in one of the long notches as it drops in, the sequence will stop as it should. Thanks again for your help.

Answer
Good, John!  You understand it.  I possibly might be able to help you correct it.  However, emailing back and forth limits the interaction and is probably not productive.  If you want me to call you, email me (to insure Internet confidentiality) your phone number and a good time to call and I'll be glad to see what we can do.

John Newman
THE VILLAGE CLOCKSMITH
Historic Downtown Prattville
Alabama
klokdok@juno.com