French Mantle (Slate) Clock Movement

[Folkvisor]

It's a rack type striking mechanism.

I can't send a photo just now because I am a distance away from the clock...350km to be exact.

 

[clockboy]

This has been a long post but I thought the original pics showed the movement had a count wheel. Will have to wait for further pics to confirm & help

[Folkvisor]

Fair enough. I hope others are getting help from this as well. I can't be the only one needing help with these clocks.

[oldhippy]

Smooth snail wheels are machined in such a way that with each hour the rack drops down a tooth at a time, the only difference is its more difficult to see and judge. With many movements the minute, hour and sub wheels are marked by a small punch mark, have these lined up and all should be correct.

The strike wheels with pins need to be in the correct order. Imagine a clock face and you are looking at it.  The wheel next to the fly should have the warning pin at about 9 45 or 9 50. The gathering pallet wheel with its pin should be resting on the stop leaver inside the movement that is the lever just above the hammer lever. The strike wheel (the one with loads of pins in) should be clear and not in any lifting position of the hammer lever. The gathering pallet should be attached onto the extended pivot at about 10 to the hour (you can always move it if need be) You should have two pins set in the back of the minute wheel, which lift the lever (red arrow) this will lift part (green arrow)The rack will drop down onto the snail, these levers at the time of working also release the wheel next to the fly wheel with the single pin against the guard which is attached to the lever  (red arrow) inside the window (blue arrow). This is called the warning, note the hammer at this stage should not be lifting. When the clock is at the hour, lever (red arrow) will clear the pin on the minute wheel, the guard will also drop causing the strike wheels to rotate. Depending where the rack drops onto the snail will depend how many times it strikes. If there is no punch marks on the wheels, you need to have the rack dropping down for 12 0’clock about here (yellow arrow)   

I know the photo I’m using is for a platform and not a pendulum, the striking is the same.   If you need more info just ask or if you don't understand.

Edited December 15, 2017 by oldhippy

[clockboy]

23 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

Smooth snail wheels are machined in such a way that with each hour the rack drops down a tooth at a time, the only difference is its more difficult to see and judge. With many movements the minute, hour and sub wheels are marked by a small punch mark, have these lined up and all should be correct.

The strike wheels with pins need to be in the correct order. Imagine a clock face and you are looking at it.  The wheel next to the fly should have the warning pin at about 9 45 or 9 50. The gathering pallet wheel with its pin should be resting on the stop leaver inside the movement that is the lever just above the hammer lever. The strike wheel (the one with loads of pins in) should be clear and not in any lifting position of the hammer lever. The gathering pallet should be attached onto the extended pivot at about 10 to the hour (you can always move it if need be) You should have two pins set in the back of the minute wheel, which lift the lever (red arrow) this will lift part (green arrow)The rack will drop down onto the snail, these levers at the time of working also release the wheel next to the fly wheel with the single pin against the guard which is attached to the lever  (red arrow) inside the window (blue arrow). This is called the warning, note the hammer at this stage should not be lifting. When the clock is at the hour, lever (red arrow) will clear the pin on the minute wheel, the guard will also drop causing the strike wheels to rotate. Depending where the rack drops onto the snail will depend how many times it strikes. If there is no punch marks on the wheels, you need to have the rack dropping down for 12 0’clock about here (yellow arrow)   

I know the photo I’m using is for a platform and not a pendulum, the striking is the same.   If you need more info just ask or if you don't understand.

That's a new one for me I have never seen a smooth snail wheel before. As you say it must be difficult to  get the sequence correct.

[oldhippy]

Its just a little harder to position then the stepped ones, just move it a tooth at a time around the 12 0’clock and you soon have it right.

[Folkvisor]

I guess I just lucked out getting to work on a clock with a smooth snail wheel. 

Have you any idea how old such a clock would be? Ballpark...

It is impossible to get this kind of information in books or on the net. If not for this site there would be nothing at all.

You should write a book.

Edited December 15, 2017 by Folkvisor

[oldhippy]

Around the 1860’s to about 1890’s. Sometimes there’s a makers stamp on the back plate, usually round in shape and near the bottom. One way of telling if the pendulum is the original is the back plate and the pendulum have the same number.

[Folkvisor]

Very cool! I'll check those numbers when I get back.

Thank you for a very detailed set of instructions.

[Folkvisor]

I'm excited because the striking mechanism worked on its own! 

I'm wondering what I should use, if anything, to lubricate the striking mechanism parts and where, besides the pivots, to put the oil or grease. I'm wondering if the greases/oils I use for watches would work.

[oldhippy]

Windles Clock Oil is what I always used. Tiny drops on the pins that operate the strike. My master told me that anywhere to parts of metal touched to add a tiny drop of oil. You don't need grease on this type of movement.

[Folkvisor]

I tested the strike mechanism for a few full turns of the minute hand and it works very nicely.

I have Clock oil so I put a very small amount on wherever metal touches metal. 

It seems to me the clock needed lubrication and just needs to run.

Thank you for all your help.

[oldhippy]

Now to regulate it. Providing the springs are good this should keep very good time 1 minute in a week ether way. Once you learn about the striking, these clocks are quite easy to work on. What takes the time is the polishing, cleaning, and bluing screws.

  Happy to help anytime.

[Folkvisor]

I'm still trying to get it to speed up a little more. small increments. I'm sure I'll be pretty slow when I'm 120 or so years old too.

The pins on the minute wheel aren't any too long so I have to be really careful about pulling off the minute hand or it will pull the pins away from the lifting lever. I'm not sure that I can do anything about that except making sure the pins are in place before I put the clock together.

I'm learning slowly. Someone did a lot of thinking figuring this stuff out!

[oldhippy]

You need to be careful not to pull the wheels out of line, not all french movements have this weekness. Its all part of learning.

[Folkvisor]

Yup. I've found about wheel alignment from experience. There's lots to learn. I'd like to get a French Clock of my own to work on so I can learn more about them.

They want me to fix a grandfather clock but it doesn't look much different than my mantle clock just weights instead of springs and a moon phase 'clock'. Also,  there's lots of info on line about them...unlike French clocks.

 

[oldhippy]

Try and get your hands on an 17^th or 18^th century 8day English Longcase (grandfather) clock. They are wonderful to work on, in my time I must have restored hundreds. French carriage clocks are interesting too, because after all that cleaning, polishing and bluing screws people actually see the clock working, some do have complicated striking.    

[Folkvisor]

I'll  keep my eyes pealed...