Alarm Disc (dial)

[Steven Thornberry]

Question: Can the alarm disc on a clock interfere with the time keeping.

Specific: I have a 10" Atkins 30-hour cottage clock. It has an alarm feature. I have noticed that with the alarm disc on, the clock will, every few days, "hang up," usually at five minutes before the hour, but not at any consistent hour. With the alarm disc off, the clock runs perfectly fine. I tested it that way for a period of two months. But putting the disc back on, it hung up after a few days of good running. I wind it every day at appx. the same time, and I have never noticed a time of "hang up" when the spring was wound down. I was just wondering whether there was some interference with another gear that happened only every few days, but couldn't imagine what it would be. I will say also that the alarm disc may not be original. Mine is a solid disc, similar to those used on the early ST 9" cottage clocks. Photos in Gregory and King's book on Atkins's clocks generally show an alarm dial that has spokes like a wagon wheel. But, I'm not sure if that would have any effect. Open to suggestions on what to look for. It's curious, but not particularly annoying.

[shutterbug]

Lets eliminate the alarm from the equation. Take the connecting wire off the TOP connector or eliminate it completely. That will tell us whether the interference is coming from the disk itself or something else. If it still hangs up, it's either the disk or the lever that falls into the slot. If it doesn't, the problem is the wire or the alarm itself. You should be able to narrow it down and remedy it that way.

[Steven Thornberry]

That's a good point. I'm leaning toward something with the lever, but before that I am trying a different disk. If the same thing happens, it probably ain't the disk per se.

[David Robertson]

I sometimes see the situation where the wire is a bit too short and causes too much friction between the disk and the lever... sometimes it is as simple as the wire has gotten a bend in it that needs straightened out..

[R. Croswell]

Steven says it “ usually [hangs up] at five minutes before the hour, but not at any consistent hour. Now the only thing that happens about 5 minutes before every hour is that the strike train is released into warning mode. Seems to me that if the alarm lever, stop wire, etc. were the cause, the problem, it would manifest at 5 minutes before the alarm set point, or at least at the same point in the 12-hour rotation period of the alarm disk.

This could be a case where the problem is the result of the net effect of several factors. If there is no obvious problem with the alarm parts, I would take a close look at the strike levers, cams, etc. If something is rubbing, binding, or wanting lubrication within the strike train, there simply may not be enough power left to operate a properly operating alarm train. Like wise if the time side of the clock is in less than great condition, worn pivots, lack of lubrication, escapement a little out of adjustment, etc. there may not be “normal” power available to the motion works.


Bob C.

[Steven Thornberry]

Bob et al:

I am remiss in my info to everyone, but appreciate the feedback, truly. There is no strike on this clock (timepiece); so problems there can be ruled out. When the alarm disk was attached, it went off at 11:45; so the "hanging up" at 5 before the hour may be simply coincidental, the time I happened to notice.

The alarm feature is built into the movement, not a separate one connected by a thin piece of wire. There is, of course, an alarm lever fashioned somewhat like a suspension spring: a thicker part is connected directly to the alarm movement, and the "feather" end is what is tripped by the alarm disk. All parts of this move free and clear of any gears. The alarm seems to work fine, loud and clear. I never use the alarm, except to test whether it does work; consequently, the spring is never wound.

All the pinions look ok (but I can check again),and there seems to be no end shake anywhere. The EW seems well-adjusted (unlike myself), and I oiled it 3-4 months ago, when I got it.

I wil try various things and appreciate what all here have said, giving me things to, at least mentally check out. It is just strange that the problem has surfaced only when the disk is attached, but did not happen when the disk was off.

[R. Croswell]

All the pinions look ok (but I can check again),and there seems to be no end shake anywhere.

If you really mean NO endshake anywhere, then that's likely the problem! There needs to be some endshake everywhere.

Bob C.

[Steven Thornberry]

No, no, not "No."

[shutterbug]

Hmmm - built in alarm, but not wound. I'm curious if the spring might be hanging outside the train enough to touch the time train? I know the springs are not big or powerful but may be encountering some part.

[Steven Thornberry]

I thought of that, too, Shutterbug, but it warn't happenin'. I may have found the culprit, but I need to watch. I think the alarm disc is not original; neither, I think, are the hands. The minute hand, in particular, is too long, I believe. With the disc on, the hour and minute hands may be fitting differently, with the upshot that the hour may have been dragging on the door glass or wood). I have bent the minute hand slightly to try to erase that possibility and will watch the results. Now to find a new hand, which is probably best anyway.