I just serviced an E. N. Welch “Arditi” perpetual calendar clock. I disassembled the movement and cleaned it, but the only repair was replacing the click rivets, as the original brass rivets were coming loose.
This clock has a 27 3/8 inch tall walnut case, and was made in the 1880′s. The movement has very old mainsprings which appear to be original. They are thin (0.0153 inches thick for the strike spring and 0.0156 inches thick for the time spring) and do not seem very “springy”. Yet, they provide plenty of power and have no visible damage, and so I kept them in the clock. If a mainspring has lasted for over 120 years, it is likely to keep on working.
The video below shows how well this clock runs, even with the weak mainsprings (and it is run down several days, not fully wound).
I just repaired the movement of this Birge, Peck & Co. standard 8 day cornice and column shelf clock. The addrss of the printer of the label (Press of Elihu Geer, 10 State Street, Hartford) dates the clock to 1850 – 1855 (see ClockHistory.com) for reference).
The case is 32 3/8 inches tall, 16 9/16 inches wide and 4 7/8 inches deep at the bottom. The dial has a 7 inch time track. The dial and lower glass are original. The movement is a later version of that invented by Joseph Ives, having roller pinions instead of fixed trundles, and the plates are riveted strap brass instead of one piece stampings. It is weight driven with a recoil escapement.
Here are some movies of the clock and the escapement (showing the escapement before and after the adjustment for entrance drop):
This 30 hour OG is the most recent addition to my collection (I don’t buy very many clocks these days, but I couldn’t resist this one). This clock was made about 1845, the fourth year that Seth Thomas made brass movement OG clocks. It has the early features described on my ClockHistory.com web site, and the unusual feature of a brass nameplate on the dial.
Here is a slideshow of photos:
Ogee case, non-original lower glass, made in Plymouth Hollow, glasses held with wood strips. Height 26″, width 15 11/16″, depth 4 5/16″;
Dial: metal, two rings drawn around time track, dots for minute marks;
Early features of dial: tapered numerals 3, 4 and 8, small winding holes (8.2 mm);
Unusual feature of dial: brass nameplate with S. THOMAS PLYMOUTH CONN U S A;
Label: printed by Elihu Geer, Hartford, Connecticut, no address given. This dates it to 1842 – 1845;
I recently repaired this Seth Thomas tambour mantel clock. It needed to have the pivots polished and 14 bushings installed.
This clock was a good example of original thin Seth Thomas mainsprings. The time mainspring is 3/4 inches wide and 0.0159 inches thick. It is in good condition and was retained in the clock. The strike mainspring was 0.0164 inches thick. I intended to keep it in the clock, but it broke after cleaning, so I installed a 3/4 inch wide, 0.0165 inches thick, and 96 inches long, Merritt’s Antiques part no. P-1956.
Here is a slideshow of the clock and its movement, and also the label on the bottom of the case:
Here is a movie of the clock ticking and striking:
I recently overhauled this clock. The repairs included:
Polished all of the train wheel pivots (some were rough when the clock left the factory);
Installed 10 bushings (including rear time mainwheel bushing). One bushing had been installed by a previous repairer. It was crooked in the movement plate. To correct this, I installed a bushing with a hole too small for the pivot, then used a cutting broach to open the hole while uprighting it. Then the hole was polished with a smoothing broach;
Replaced the click on the strike mainwheel, as it was very worn, and had been filed down. I installed a steel clickspring, and a steel rivet;
Filed wear from the click on the time mainwheel, replaced the wimpy brass clickspring with a steel one, and replaced the brass rivet with a steel one;
Installed the correct size suspension rod, and installed an original Sessions mantel clock pendulum bob;
The strike mainspring was a replacement that was too thick (0.018 inches). I replaced it with a spring 3/4 inch wide, 0.0165 inches thick, and 96 inches long, Merritt’s Antiques part no. P-1956;
The time mainspring had been ground narrower by a previous repairer. It was rough with sharp edges. I installed the same type of mainspring as above, Merritt’s Antiques part no. P-1956;
The new mainsprings mentioned above (in the last two items) provide plenty of power to operate the clock. The movies below show the operation of the escapement, the clock striking, and the movement with pendulum. This clock strikes bim-bam on two chime rods.
Here is a slide show of some of the repair steps:
The label on the rear door says the following:
No. 277 P
Eight-day Turn Back
Striking the hours on Two-Tone Chime
Half-Hours in Harmony
The Sessions Clock Company
Forestville, Conn., U.S.A.
NOTICE
The Pendulum Ball and Key are fastened to bottom of clock.
DIRECTIONS FOR STRIKING
In order to make Clock strike the hour desired, turn the long hand up to twelve and allow the clock to strike. Then turn back to nine and forward again to twelve. Continue in this way until the Clock strikes correctly.
TO REGULATE
Should it be desired to have the clock run faster, place the small end of the key on the arbor at twleve and turn TOP of key to the left toward F. To run slower turn TOP of key to the right toward S.
There is a date code of 9-38 (September 1938) stamped on the label.
I recently repaired this clock. The movement was ugly to start with, because a previous repairer had soldered bushings to the front and rear escape wheel pivot holes (see slide show below). The pivots were bent in the process.
I removed the unsightly bushings, removed the solder and straightened the bent pivots. The pivots were polished, the worn trundles on three pinions replaced, and the necessary bushings installed (I use KWM size American made bushings, friction fit). I made and installed new click rivets, and replaced the unreliable brass clicksprings with spring steel wire.
Time mainspring is quite thin at 0.0168 inches, yet the escapement takes great motion (in the escapement closeup movie the clock is 7 days run down).
I repaired this Seth Thomas Adamantine clock last week. The movement is No. 89C, a popular movement for mantel clocks, using a semi-deadbeat escapement. This one needed a lot of work, including making a new dial (it had a terrible replacement dial), making a new front strike mainwheel bushing, and replacing both click rivets and clicksprings (the clicksprings were the unreliable flat steel type, one of which was broken). I routinely replace these with round spring wire springs. See the slideshow below for photos of some of the repair steps. Here are some movies of this clock in operation:
The time mainspring is 0.016 inch thick (thinner than average) yet the escapement takes a great motion!
Most spring driven American antique clocks are overpowered (they have springs that are stronger than necessary). Even at age 100 years (give or take) the mainsprings are almost always strong enough to operate the clock reliably, assuming that the clock has been repaired properly, including POLISHING THE PIVOTS and installing bushings.
A spring should be replaced only if it is damaged (cracked or rusty). Some of the very old American springs (for instance from the 1850′s – 1860′s) are quite rough, yet they have operated the clock for all these years, and there is no reason to doubt that they will continue to operate the clock well. Yes, an old spring could break at any time, BUT SO COULD A NEW SPRING! I leave the original spring in the clock unless it is damaged. I install a weaker spring if the existing one is too strong.
French clocks are delicate, yet very efficient in operation, and I have not often experienced mainsprings that are too weak. The usual problem with French clock mainsprings is a torn hole in the outer end. A new hole should be made in the end, unless the spring is too short from having this operation done too many times.
