Hi Trevor, I'm working on a quite large E. Howard Clock that hadn't been run in a very long time. I fixed the bent escape wheel and made new bearings for the escape pinion shaft. I found the rack frozen and cleaned it up. Today, the last day of the year, I'm going in to see if I can get the hour strike to work for the New Year. I pretty much figured out the operation but your video helped a lot on the pawl mechanism. Best for the New Year, Rob
Trevor Murphy Thanks Trevor, I just took a look at the beginning of your video where the hammer is striking the bell and it looks like the hammer sits on the bell between strikes, perhaps it's just the video and this isn't the case. best, Robert
Clockguy2, right you are! Thanks for your careful attention. I'll fix that soon. The clock is not running regularly just yet. It has a pulley issue that we need to address. We hope to have it running on a regular schedule in the fall. Thanks again.
I've never seen a rack like that before. Usually they are pivoted, not sliding like this one. I have a French Comtoise mantel clock with a tiny vertically-sliding rack, which is different again.
It also occurs to me that I've seen a similar amount of grime and dust on smaller clocks and the movement stops after a few minutes of fighting the friction of the dirt. These big clocks with a hundred or more pounds of weight powering them can overcome quite a bit of dirt.
Thanks for the comment. It is a really neat mechanism and I don't mind saying that it took me a good long while to understand it well enough to write the script for this video. I also had good help with filming and editing. I've put some hours in to restore this particular clock to regular duty. It is close now. Your enthusiastic response is encouraging.
You make a fair point. One of the difficulties is that it isn't clear what part I'm talking about in the video. I will try to add annotations. Thanks for your comment.
I think you are seeing a 100 year old clock with 100 years of exposure to the elements. I think I have spent 10 hours cleaning it, but not polishing it. I worked to remove dirt and grime that might add friction and I added oil. Some parts do look really dirty, but they resisted my best cleaning efforts. The actual movement behind the dial was the most weathered part of all. I was surprised it still worked.
Its an excellent video but i still cant completely understand the mechanism. Maybe the style of presentation of the video on "How tower clocks work" made it easier to understand.
Very nice. I've been trying to find videos of Big Ben's chime and strike trains running, but there's very little out there. This is very similar (but smaller) except that Big Ben uses a countwheel instead of a rack and snail. Do you have access to a clock with a chime train that you can show us?
I don't. Sorry. The one I'd like to get in to see is managed by a very protective administrator. In fact, it is not running now because he outsourced all support of the clock to a company in another state and they take awhile to schedule travel and service.
Adam Ahmed There is now a great animation showing the chime and strike trains of the Westminster clock running, on the houses of Parliament website. Definitely worth a look!
Clock mechanisms are fascinating! Thank you for making this video that makes the mystery and complexity of tower clocks easier to understand!
I really appreciate your efforts to educate us, thank you so much. More grease to your elbow and more wisdom always.
Hi Trevor,
I'm working on a quite large E. Howard Clock that hadn't been run in a very long time. I fixed the bent escape wheel and made new bearings for the escape pinion shaft. I found the rack frozen and cleaned it up. Today, the last day of the year, I'm going in to see if I can get the hour strike to work for the New Year. I pretty much figured out the operation but your video helped a lot on the pawl mechanism.
Best for the New Year,
Rob
I'm really glad to hear it. I hope the clock finds new life in 2015.
Trevor Murphy Thanks Trevor,
I just took a look at the beginning of your video where the hammer is striking the bell and it looks like the hammer sits on the bell between strikes, perhaps it's just the video and this isn't the case.
best,
Robert
mosfet500 It does not rest on the bell. Must be a bad angle.
Clockguy2, right you are! Thanks for your careful attention. I'll fix that soon. The clock is not running regularly just yet. It has a pulley issue that we need to address. We hope to have it running on a regular schedule in the fall. Thanks again.
I've never seen a rack like that before. Usually they are pivoted, not sliding like this one. I have a French Comtoise mantel clock with a tiny vertically-sliding rack, which is different again.
We had some good times. You remind me that I should send you a picture of that quilt I finished.
It also occurs to me that I've seen a similar amount of grime and dust on smaller clocks and the movement stops after a few minutes of fighting the friction of the dirt. These big clocks with a hundred or more pounds of weight powering them can overcome quite a bit of dirt.
do you know if the first congregational church's bell' in the future that it will sound the hour?
Thanks for the comment. It is a really neat mechanism and I don't mind saying that it took me a good long while to understand it well enough to write the script for this video. I also had good help with filming and editing. I've put some hours in to restore this particular clock to regular duty. It is close now. Your enthusiastic response is encouraging.
Great explanation...
You make a fair point. One of the difficulties is that it isn't clear what part I'm talking about in the video. I will try to add annotations. Thanks for your comment.
Fascinating!!
Thanks for posting this!!
I think you are seeing a 100 year old clock with 100 years of exposure to the elements. I think I have spent 10 hours cleaning it, but not polishing it. I worked to remove dirt and grime that might add friction and I added oil. Some parts do look really dirty, but they resisted my best cleaning efforts.
The actual movement behind the dial was the most weathered part of all. I was surprised it still worked.
Its an excellent video but i still cant completely understand the mechanism. Maybe the style of presentation of the video on "How tower clocks work" made it easier to understand.
Very nice. I've been trying to find videos of Big Ben's chime and strike trains running, but there's very little out there. This is very similar (but smaller) except that Big Ben uses a countwheel instead of a rack and snail. Do you have access to a clock with a chime train that you can show us?
I don't. Sorry. The one I'd like to get in to see is managed by a very protective administrator. In fact, it is not running now because he outsourced all support of the clock to a company in another state and they take awhile to schedule travel and service.
Adam Ahmed There is now a great animation showing the chime and strike trains of the Westminster clock running, on the houses of Parliament website. Definitely worth a look!
Adam Ahmed you can find it at national fizich lab and big ben
Adam Ahmed or click here ua-cam.com/video/QQOlbMmgmc0/v-deo.html
Your welcome
nice work. thanks
Need to tighten the screws that hold the hammer lift lever at 2:44.
What clock tower is it and where is it?
HOW DOES A CLOCK TOWER STRIKE ON HALF HOUR