This Guide was written for your use, information, and enjoyment. It includes some background information on this type of clock, information on how to set and wind it, and some info on how to care for it. However, for legal reason, I must point out that you use this guide at your own risk.

This guide may not be reprinted in whole or in part without my consent. However, feel free to print out a copy for your own, personal use.

STEVEN R. OSBURN

The first mechanical clocks in mass production were weight-driven. This was the preferred power choice well into the 1830's when the steel spring took over due to its adaptability to smaller clock cases. Since that time, only larger clocks have been made with weight driven technology - such as cuckoo clocks, better quality Vienna Regulators, grandfather and grandmother clocks, large church tower clocks, and a few others.

Weight-driven clocks are normally wound daily or weekly by either pulling on the weight chains, or by using a clock key to wind a cable around a drum. Weights can either pull freely on the clock movement itself, as is the case for most cuckoo clocks, or the may employ a pulley, as in the case of most weight driven Vienna Regulators and other case clocks, or may employ a compound pulley system, as in the case of some modern grandfather clocks.

There are so many differnet styles of weight driven clocks around that it isn't possible to list them all here. If you have a Cuckoo clock, I have a separate page on Cuckoo Clocks, so please read that instead of this page - this page is more generic, and attempts to cover all the other weight driven clock styles.

If I had to put weight driven clocks into 2 categories, I would call them "external weight" and "internal weight" clocks, but in reality, the only difference here is that external weight clocks must hang on the wall (to allow the weights to keep off the floor), whereas internal weight clocks might hang on the wall, sit on a shelf, or sit on the floor. Also, in general, external weight clocks are "sloppier" than internal weight clocks, because they need to operate in a dirtier environment (more open to dust and dirt), and are therefore a bit worse for timekeeping (but this does not mean they are any cheaper).

This guide was written to help you set your clock and keep it running:

Rather than cover the whole clock, I'll just cover the parts you might normally deal with. To begin, there are the weights. These are usually cast iron or lead, and can weigh anywhere between 5/8 pound and up (depending on the size of the clock and the number of days the clock is designed to run). The weights can housed either inside or outside the case. It is important to have the right weight for your clock. Too small a weight will not be able to run the clock, while too large a weight can damage the movement. Each weight is attached to a chain, wire, or rope that connects to the movement.

The clock has a pendulum that consists of a rod, a bob, and an adjustment. The pendulum controls the speed at which the clock runs. Adjusting the bob down on the rod (further away from the movement) slows down the clock. Raising the bob speeds up the clock.

If equipped with a strike (gone, bell, rods, Westminster chime, etc.), a second or even third weight is used to rotate those mechanisms.

A clock's "movement" refers to the clock mechanism - i.e., not the case or decorations.

There are two basic considerations when deciding where to place your clock: What is best for your decor, and what is best for the clock. As with most things in life, these two do not always go hand-in-hand. Because of the 2 different styles (internal vs. external weights) I will address them separately:

Internal weight clocks can hang on the wall, sit on the floor, or sit on a shelf or on furniture. If hanging on the wall, read both this and the section on external weights - this paragraph is primarily focused on clocks that sit on something. Choose a location where it is not likely to be bumped or jarred, and where you can keep it level. Most internal weight clocks have a large door you must open in order to wind the clock, but some use winding keys and a smaller door in front of the clock face. In either case, make sure the area in front of the clock is clear so the door will open. Suggested clock locations might be on a mantle, on a buffet, or in a curio cabinet. Less desirable locations would be on tables, night stands, or light dressers that are easily moved or bumped, or may be subject to pets and small fingers.

I prefer to mount external weight clocks on a wall stud, especially the 8-day clocks, because they can weigh quite a bit. Using a stud sensor, find a stud nearest the location that you have chosen (studs are usually either 16 or 24 inches apart). Use at least a 4d box nail on 1-day clocks, and at least a 6d box nail on 8-day clocks. This may be overkill, but it is better than having your clock crash to the floor when the neighbor kid pulls on the chains or your coat catches a chain on the way by! The nail should be angled slightly upward so that the clock naturally slips down the nail and hugs the wall (see the following figures).

If your clock hangs on a wall, it is important to not let the clock move while you are winding. If the clock moves side to side, it will no longer be level - which is the most common reason a clock stops. Just opening the winding door (if it has one) can often make the clock shift, so hold the clock against the wall to keep it level.

If your clock is wound by pulling a chain: Grasp one chain at a time and gently pull it at a steady rate until the weight raises to near the bottom of the movement. GENTLY pull it until it is just touching or just below where the chain enters the movement. If you pull in jerking motions, or ram the weight into the bottom of the movement, you risk moving the clock (at best) or breaking the clock.

If your clock is wound by a key: Turn the key while watching the weight rise until it is just touching or just below the movement. If you wind too far, it can break the string or cable.

To start the clock, gently push and release the pendulum such that it swings in a sideways motion. Watch and listen to the clock. You should hear a "tick" sound in both directions of the pendulum swing. The "tick" should have a regular sound, equally spaced with the other "ticks". For example: "Tick........Tick........Tick........Tick". If the "tick" is irregular: "Tick..Tick..............Tick..Tick..............Tick" then there is a problem - which usually means the clock is not level. However, "level" is from the clock's perspective, not yours! The final position of your clock (equally spaced "ticks") may not look level, and may in fact not be level, but it is the right placement for your clock movement (i.e., using a level to set your clock is incorrect). If the clock not looking level concerns you, call your clock repairman who can make adjustments to match the movement level to the case level.

To level a clock that is hung on the wall: Simply move the bottom of the clock one way or the other until you hear regularly spaced "ticks". Move the clock in very small adjustments, and let the clock run for several seconds (longer on larger clocks) before making the next adjustment. When you get the position just right, let the clock run for a week (for a day if you have a 1-day clock) to verify that you have the level correct. Then, make a small pencil mark on the wall that shows where the bottom right-hand corner of the case is. This will help in repositioning the clock if it gets bumped or if you have to move the clock.

To level a clock that sits on top of a shelf, floor, or furniture: If there are provisions to adjust the case via an adjustment on one of the legs, then use that. Otherwise, you will need to add spacers (small strips of wood, metal, or anything else that is thin and can slip under the clock) under one side or another until you have equally spaced "ticks". Add spacers a little at a time, and let the clock run for several seconds (longer on larger clocks) before making the next adjustment.

To set the correct time, simply use your finger to turn the minute hand until the correct time is reached. Never turn the hour hand, as this may damage the clock. (If your clock does not have a chime mechanism, you can generally ignore the rest of this paragraph) The minute hand should be turned forward only to prevent damage to the clock. If you only need to set the minute hand back a few minutes, it is permissible to do so as long as you never pass backwards over the regions shown in black below.

To adjust the clock, stop the pendulum, lightly grasp it and adjust the bob up to make the clock run faster, and down to make it run slower. The adjustment is generally a screw knob or a friction fit (you push the bob up and down). The friction fit is used mostly with cuckoo clocks, and the screw adjustment is used on most other types. Turning the knob clockwise (when viewed from the bottom) generally raises the bob. It is best to make adjustments in very small increments until you have a feel for how much movement relates to how much speed change. It may take several days to adjust the clock, and several weeks to fine tune the adjustment so that it will run unadjusted for several weeks. Note that a gain or loss of up to 4 minutes per week is good for some types of weight clocks. Accuracy beyond this may not be possible, because the speed is also affected by room temperature fluctuations, air currents, and vibrations.

Other than winding and an occasional adjustment, your clock should require little or no maintenance other than a routine dusting to keep it looking nice.

The first step to moving any weight driven clock is to remove the weights. You should also remove the pendulum at this point.

Never move, turn the clock upside down, or tilt it sideways without insuring that the chains, cables, or strings are pulled tight. For chain drives, I recommend that a twist tie be used where the chain enters the movement to keep the chain over the top of the rachet wheel. For cables and ropes, you might be able to just tie the cable/rope tight, or even tape it in place. The diagram below refers to chain drives:

At this point you can move the clock. When you package the clock, I recommend keeping all of the parts together so that they don't get lost - however, the weights are heavy, and if not properly padded, could damage the clock.

After moving, place the clock in its intended permanent location, and release the chains. Hang the pendulum and the weights, and start the clock.

Most weight driven clocks operate on the same principle: The clock is powered by a lead or cast iron weight (as opposed to winding a spring). The weight is attached to a chain, rope or cable which runs over the top of a ratchet wheel. The ratchet turns freely in one direction (when winding the clock), but is locked to a gear when turned in the opposite direction (the direction the weight pulls from). The second gear is connected to a series of gears which try to rotate to let the weight fall. As the last gear in the series tries to turn, it hits a finger extending from a c-shaped arm called the "verge". As the gear tooth pushes the finger out of the way, a finger on the opposite side of the verge moves into the way of another tooth. The gear repeatedly pushes the two fingers out of the way, rocking the verge from side to side, which pushes an arm connected to the pendulum, which causes the pendulum to swing.

The length (not the weight) of the pendulum determines how fast the pendulum swings, and hence, how fast the clock runs (in clock language, the pendulum "regulates" the speed of the clock). The longer the pendulum, the slower the clock will run. The shorter the pendulum, the faster the clock will run. But rather than make the pendulum itself longer or shorter, we really move a weight called the pendulum "bob" up or down a shaft. Moving the bob down (farther from the clock) moves the pendulum center of mass farther away from where it is connected to the clock. This essentially lengthens the pendulum and causes the clock to run slower.

In a nutshell, that explains how the weight tries to turn a series of gears which we slow down such that one gear tooth at a time is allowed to pass at a rate we can control. Understanding the rest of the clock is simply a matter of choosing the gears that turn at the right speed to rotate once an hour and once in 12 hours.

The most common reason a clock stops is that it is not level (again, this is relative to the clock, not the clock case). It is very important that the "ticks" be equally spaced. If it is difficult for you to tell, try this: After the clock has stopped, carefully move the pendulum in one direction, and then the other. Note the side that ticks first. If every time it stops, the first tick is always on the same side, then the clock is not level. Move the bottom of the clock opposite the direction of the first tick. Make very small adjustments (it shouldn't take much).

The second most common reason a clock stops is that it was bumped or a gust of air hit the pendulum. There is no "fix" for this other than to avoid these situations.

If you cannot keep the clock going for the full time, and you feel that it has been properly leveled, it may need cleaning. This should be done by a qualified repairman unless you know what you are doing.

Despite all the instructions above, if the clock is kept in a safe, solid location and is not jarred, it will be a beautiful, virtually maintenance-free asset for you to treasure for years to come.

I hope this information is of value to you! Enjoy!

Steve