My first clock.

[TheKiwiKid]

Greetings all,

My name is Eion and I'm a student from New Zealand. The University i attend has a beautiful old clock tower and when I first heard the chimes I was hooked. Now 4 years later I have just today received my first clock, what I think to be an early 1950s Enfield mantle clock with westminster chimes.

My lovely partner stumbled across this clock and it was labled as broken. Being a self professed semi-pro tinkerer (I work part time as a equipment tech at uni) she thought it would be a perfect birthday gift.

I have spent most of today reading about different bits and bobs and have found this forum to be a great wealth of knowledge. I must thank you all as now the clock is fully functional and chiming away beautifully.

Unfortunately photos aren't uploading so i will edit them in later.

Once again thank you all for your help and I'll be reading more to find a full strip down method to give it a clean and oil.

Eion

 

[Dave T]

Welcome Elon, Post a couple of pictures when you get the issue resolved.

 

[JTD]

Hi Eion and welcome.

Yes, post some pictures when you can - there are some instructions for doing this at the top of the page.

You say your are planning to fully strip down and service this clock. I would not recommend a Westminster chime clock as your first full service. It might be better to go first with a timepiece (time only) or a two train time and strike before embarking on a Westminster. Of course it is up to you. But since the clock is of sentimental value (I guess) please be careful if you do decide to go ahead with this one.

Plenty of people here will be happy to help you whatever you decide.

JTD

 

[shimmystep]

Good luck
In terms of complicated Westminster chime movements, I think the Enfield can be one of the simpler ones. The chime locking wheel and pin wheel are adjusted to synch post assembly obviously, but the stop cam for the chime train is often on the same arbour as the warning wheel/pin, so straight forward. The gathering pallet fits on a round arbour, so adjustable, make sure the hammer tail isn't on the rise in warning on the strike train, and you're about there. There is often a useful return spring that can make adjustments to that if it's not quite right first go.
Now these terms may not mean a great deal at the mo, but they will. take lots of pics as you go, Enfield seemed to like to use lots of little washers! There'll be plenty of help on hand. Spend some time with the movement on the work bench, watching how it works as you move the hands around, understanding how it functions will make world of difference, to point out the obvious!

 

[Rockin Ronnie]

As one other has said, I would like to see photos. I have a Smiths Enfield mantel clock, time and strike only. Curious about your Westminster.

Ron

 

[TheKiwiKid]

Thank you all for the welcome. Perhaps if a full take down is too ambitious I would still at the very least like to learn a decent service technique, which I'm sure I will have no issues finding on here already posted. The only issue I can see right now is that the nut from the minute arbour is missing, but I think that the backing nut from my old infantry cap badge should fit, fingers crossed. I used this site to date it http://www.electric-clocks.co.uk/SMITHS/sm-quick guide.htm, but I could be well off in my estimation. Any information you could provide me would be great as it is all more learning. It's what I think to be a very attractive clock, and I hope with a little TLC, I'll get the movement and the woodwork looking like and working like it deserves.

shimmystep

Re: My first clock.
Good luck
In terms of complicated Westminster chime movements, I think the Enfield can be one of the simpler ones. The chime locking wheel and pin wheel are adjusted to synch post assembly obviously, but the stop cam for the chime train is often on the same arbour as the warning wheel/pin, so straight forward. The gathering pallet fits on a round arbour, so adjustable, make sure the hammer tail isn't on the rise in warning on the strike train, and you're about there. There is often a useful return spring that can make adjustments to that if it's not quite right first go.
Now these terms may not mean a great deal at the mo, but they will. take lots of pics as you go, Enfield seemed to like to use lots of little washers! There'll be plenty of help on hand. Spend some time with the movement on the work bench, watching how it works as you move the hands around, understanding how it functions will make world of difference, to point out the obvious! ​

I think I understand most of what you're saying as there is a very good clock terminology post on here, regardless you have me lost on the gathering pallet.
​

 

[shimmystep]

Thank you all for the welcome. Perhaps if a full take down is too ambitious I would still at the very least like to learn a decent service technique, which I'm sure I will have no issues finding on here already posted. The only issue I can see right now is that the nut from the minute arbour is missing, but I think that the backing nut from my old infantry cap badge should fit, fingers crossed. I used this site to date it http://www.electric-clocks.co.uk/SMITHS/sm-quick guide.htm, but I could be well off in my estimation. Any information you could provide me would be great as it is all more learning. It's what I think to be a very attractive clock, and I hope with a little TLC, I'll get the movement and the woodwork looking like and working like it deserves.

I think I understand most of what you're saying as there is a very good clock terminology post on here, regardless you have me lost on the gathering pallet.
​

A small rotating 'hook' that gathers the exposed teeth of the rack, where the number of teeth exposed to the gathering pallet is equal to the strikes required for the hour. once the gathering pallet has gathered all the required teeth, the strike train stops.

 

[TheKiwiKid]

A small rotating 'hook' that gathers the exposed teeth of the rack, where the number of teeth exposed to the gathering pallet is equal to the strikes required for the hour. once the gathering pallet has gathered all the required teeth, the strike train stops.

Ah that makes a lot of sense now, cheers. I do have another question though, are there any books you, or anyone else, would recommend as a prime reference that I should start seeking out.

 

[TheKiwiKid]

I've noticed a small curiosity, on the clock face at the 6 is printed Germany, along with that on the face is printed EJU which I figured was Enfield X X but now I'm leaning towards Erhard Jauch Uhrenfabrik. I'm now starting to think I might not have at all what I thought I did, any ideas? I assumed it was an Enfield due to the info pack but that was the only reason.

 

[JTD]

Yes, it is good that you posted a photo of the case. The initials and logo on the face is definitely that of Erhard Jauch (went out of business in 1980). It looks also as if the diagram shown on the accompanying paper is not the same as the movement in your clock.

It would seem that you have an Erhard Jauch clock. I don't know why someone put the Enfield papers with it.

JTD

 

[TheKiwiKid]

Yes, it is good that you posted a photo of the case. The initials and logo on the face is definitely that of Erhard Jauch (went out of business in 1980). It looks also as if the diagram shown on the accompanying paper is not the same as the movement in your clock.

It would seem that you have an Erhard Jauch clock. I don't know why someone put the Enfield papers with it.

JTD

Do you by chance have any information or know a good place to start?

 

[JTD]

What sort of information? Do you mean information about Erhard Jauch?

JTD

 

[TheKiwiKid]

What sort of information? Do you mean information about Erhard Jauch?

JTD

Yes, sorry i should have been clearer.

Eion

 

[JTD]

There were a number of clockmakers called Jauch. Erhard Jauch began his company in Schwenningen in the 1930s. By the late 1930s he was manufacturing all kinds of household clocks and employed about 60 people. During the war the firm was probably engaged in armament production (bomb fuses, timers etc.) as was the case for very many German clock makers at that time.

After the war much of the company's equipment was taken away by the occupying forces, but despite these difficulties Jauch managed to re-start production and by the 1950s was again able to offer a wide range of household clocks.

In 1980 filed for bankruptcy and the firm went out of business.

(I have taken most of this information from Schmid's 'Lexikon der Deutschen Uhrenindustrie 1850-1980' (Vol. 2))

I hope this helps.

JTD