Chelsea U.S. Navy ship clock. Position sensitive?

[Alchmst]

Would anyone know if a Chelsea U.S. Navy ship clock (time only) is orientation sensitive? I've finished servicing it but it seems to only want to run in the horizontal plane. As soon as I hang it on the wall it stops. Put it flat... away it goes without error. It has a very sophisticated platform lever escapement but so do most high end clocks and I've never heard of them only running correctly while laying flat. Thoughts?

 

[eskmill]

Your Chelsea needs balance wheel service.

The symptom you describe suggests that the balance staff uppermost pivot is running in a cracked jewel bushing or a hole with no end or thrust jewel. The balance wheel should be supported at both ends equally by the hole jewels and the end jewels.

Remove the balance and inspect both pivots with a 10 power glass.

On the other hand, when you serviced the escapement, you might have dislodged the end-stone from the upper pivot jewel setting.

 

[Alchmst]

Thanks Les. I was very careful to not disturb the cap jewel, buuuut..... I sure didn't look under it (with a loupe)! And although the customer didn't write this specific complaint on the repair order, I wouldn't doubt that that's what it is in for! The gentleman is an elderly WWII veteran and said he took it from a battleship before they skulled it. I bet he forgot. Thanks for the heads up!

Mike

 

[eskmill]

Mike, in my reply I referred to the location of the cap jewel or end-stone as "upper." That may be confusing as "upper" might be considered as the cap jewel in the bridge. There's also a cap jewel located on the underside of the escapement platform.

The location of the parts depends on one's viewpoint. When servicing the clock face down, it is "upper and lower" but when in actual usage, it's "inner and outer.":cyclops:

 

[Alchmst]

So hey guess what? I opened the clock back up and lo and behold the barrel cap had popped off and was hanging against one of the plates. Ha! But I went ahead and looked at the balance jewels anyway (with 10X eyes) and both pivots and caps were 100% perfect (and lubed perfect too I must say *beams*). So yeah, is it just me or is the profession the easiest way known to turn gifted mechanical people into chumps? Speaking for only myself, I say yes.
Had to look for my barrel marks with a lope because pencil rubs off easy too, put the lid back on, reassembled everything (you watchmakers are in a class by yourselves, you know that right?) Now it is running in any plane.... in fact I dare say it might even run while attached to a *rolling, pitching, ship*. Imagine that! LOL.
Oye, I think I'm nice and steady until I see myself shaking under a microscope and then it looks like California is happening! Anyway, much respect for you all that work on watches on a regular basis. I'll stick to Graham deadbeats and cranky Jauchs' thanks. Think I'll go have another cup of coffee. What? 0_0?
Les, thanks for your help, it's what makes this quiet little corner of the Internet great!