missing parts, automaton.

[0132joshua]

Hi German , i would presume, charming automanton time piece, the crow on a spring , is supposed to ping in and out i presume, looks like it had bellows at some time, any idea of the missing parts, how it works, cheers

 

[JimmyOz]

The Cuckoo bird (crow) did not move in and out, it was just lifted by a wire on the top part of the bellow and when another wire that rides on the propeller on the movement and attached to the bellows dropped off the high point it released the bellows and the bird would rock and the bellows would sound. They still make this type of clock today although not as nice as your one, however they are not expensive and I think if you just buy one and replace the parts that you need. The main issue will be getting the paper dial off as you need to do that to access the tapped screws under it.

 

[shutterbug]

Search for "propeller movement" in this forum for lots of info on these types of clocks. You have a couple of important parts missing, but you can probably make them. These cuckoo one time each hour.

 

[JimmyOz]

They cuckoo once 4 times an hour.

 

[Mike Phelan]

The ones sold here cuckooed every half an hour but were never made to be serviced. Sold in F W Woolworth shops in the 1960s.

 

[RJSoftware]

Tricky trip wire arrangement. I have yet to master one. Yours would be worth restoration

 

[Mike Phelan]

I restored a few of tham in the 1980's RJ. Indeed, the trip wires have to be bent precisely for it to work properly. Wish I'd kept them as they are certainly sellable now

 

[0132joshua]

hi, many thanks for information, a great help, i thought about the paper dial, luckily its aluminium with paint, the main body being cast copper, the dial was secured via steel tacks into the copper, gentle manipulation and a few hours later the dial, the main worry , was off. Not a great amount of wear, with pallets and escape wheel pivot holes rebushed it will be fine. Again , great info on the crow scenario.

 

[RJSoftware]

I restored a few of tham in the 1980's RJ. Indeed, the trip wires have to be bent precisely for it to work properly. Wish I'd kept them as they are certainly sellable now

yep, I gave some kid up the road my 1969 Honda Cb450 some 30+ years ago. It kept breaking down. Now I wish...

$7-$10k. But if I kept riding it I may have died back then.

 

[demoman3955]

yep, I gave some kid up the road my 1969 Honda Cb450 some 30+ years ago. It kept breaking down. Now I wish...

$7-$10k. But if I kept riding it I may have died back then.

I traded a 67 firebird convertible for a beat up car trailer back in the early 80s, and they only made 400 of them in 67. they fetch a lot now.

 

[RJSoftware]

I traded a 67 firebird convertible for a beat up car trailer back in the early 80s, and they only made 400 of them in 67. they fetch a lot now.

ooof, painful..!

 

[shutterbug]

They cuckoo once 4 times an hour.

Yep, that's correct. My memory took me down the wrong path again