New to Repeaters, instructions on how to operate!

[Karl Schluter]

Hello Members, Earlier this year I acquired my first repeater, however only of late have I had a chance to fully explore its operation (or lack of). I am unsure exactly how one gets this type to sound. Being relatively new to these devices I'm very wary of causing any damage to it. As pictured there is a small (slide type?) button on the outside rim of the watch, and from searches in the NAWCC forums it appears this could be a device to lock the pendant down? https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/early-repeater.161684/
I have tried moving this button (it doesn't seem to want to move in any direction with light effort), but I'm also unsure as to just how much travel this button would have, and whether there should be any downward pressure on the pendant at the same time? This pocket watch had a rather long shipping journey and so there is always the chance it was possibly damaged in transit too (hopefully not, it was well packaged...). The timekeeping part of the watch runs fine, so any basic instructions on the repeating function would be most welcomed! Kind regards, Karl.

 

[gmorse]

Hi Karl,

The timekeeping part of the watch runs fine, so any basic instructions on the repeating function would be most welcomed!

As with most repeaters, the action of starting its repeating function has to begin by winding the spring powering the striking. Yours appears to have a plunge pendant, which must be pushed fully in to wind the small spring and initiate the striking. It may be quite stiff, and there's a mechanism to prevent any striking if the pendant isn't fully pushed in, (it's called the 'all-or-nothing' piece). The plunge pendant was the standard method before the large slide in the case band was introduced later in the 19th century.

If it seems extremely stiff, it's best not to try too much force, but let a repeater specialist look at it to advise you. These mechanisms are quite complex and delicate. The small square at the edge of the movement towards the top left-hand corner in your first picture with a scale engraved around it, is the control for the speed of striking, and should not be touched, as turning it too far can result in breakage.

Regards,

Graham

 

[Karl Schluter]

Hi Karl,


As with most repeaters, the action of starting its repeating function has to begin by winding the spring powering the striking. Yours appears to have a plunge pendant, which must be pushed fully in to wind the small spring and initiate the striking. It may be quite stiff, and there's a mechanism to prevent any striking if the pendant isn't fully pushed in, (it's called the 'all-or-nothing' piece). The plunge pendant was the standard method before the large slide in the case band was introduced later in the 19th century.

If it seems extremely stiff, it's best not to try too much force, but let a repeater specialist look at it to advise you. These mechanisms are quite complex and delicate. The small square at the edge of the movement towards the top left-hand corner in your first picture with a scale engraved around it, is the control for the speed of striking, and should not be touched, as turning it too far can result in breakage.

Regards,

Graham

Thank you very much Graham for your time in replying to my query, I'll see if the pendant will move (carefully) any further downward as in "fully pushed in" like you detailed (in tandem with working out if the small button on the watch cases rim is locking anything), and yes I'll certainly stay far away from the small square (the control for speed of striking)! My fear is the repeater function may have been damaged in shipping, as the repeater was sold as chiming correctly. If I have no luck I'll have to find a repeater specialist as you suggest. Thanks again Graham for your helpful comments, Kind regards, Karl.

 

[Incroyable]

What is the design on the case and material? It looks rather unusual.

 

[Tom McIntyre]

The sliding piece in the edge of the case is intended to lock out the repeat mechanism. I think the position farthest away from the pedant unlocks the pendant so it can be depressed for the action Graham described.

 

[Karl Schluter]

What is the design on the case and material? It looks rather unusual.

Hello Incroyable, Thank you for your question, the watch appears to show a King Cobra and possibly a planet? I really don't know to be honest. I'm not sure what the case material is made of either sorry, although it could well be silver. The dial has several bushels of grain shown on it, and I wondered if these 2 features together may have meant something to someone who belonged to a club or organization many years ago. I have tried to research the basic images with no real luck. Kind Regards, Karl.

 

[Karl Schluter]

The sliding piece in the edge of the case is intended to lock out the repeat mechanism. I think the position farthest away from the pedant unlocks the pendant so it can be depressed for the action Graham described.

Thank you for your very helpful comments Tom, it gives me more to go on, being very new to repeaters I didn't want to stress or break anything, I have tried googling for the basic operation of an early repeater like this one but I couldn't find exactly what info I was after, Thanks again, Karl.

 

[Incroyable]

It's quite a strange composite of things.

The bushels of grain looks like it's been screen printed on at a later date?

 

[JayW]

I'd like to get some related advice. I got this repeater (see photos). The thing that sticks out at 3 o'clock activates the chimes (if you press it (slide it) down (not in)). This seems to work fine. My question is about setting the time. I'm kind of assuming that for the repeater to know how many chimes to sound, it must follow the time (whether the time is manually set or if it's running). So I'm thinking if I set it backwards, maybe that wouldn't be good. When I do set it forward, I can feel a slight click now and then - as if it's advancing a click every period of time to 'record' the time. i can't see the 'chiming works' from the back, and although I am familiar working with Waltham pocket watches, I'm not ready to take this one apart.

What do you think about setting the time?
.

 

[gmorse]

Hi JayW,

What do you think about setting the time?

I think that what you can hear is probably the peg on the cannon pinion indexing the star wheel that's attached to the hour snail. This star wheel has a jumper spring which snaps it smartly into the next position and this can make an audible click. Changing the time backwards on any watch is generally not a good idea, it's best to be safe and only change it forwards.


The star wheel is under the hour snail in the centre just below the cannon pinion.

Regards,

Graham

 

[JayW]

Thanks for your quick reply.
I appreciate the advice. And thanks for the image.

 

[Karl Schluter]

UPDATE: I'm pleased to say I now have the repeater function working! I feel a bit embarrassed to tell members the problem but maybe it will help others who are new to ''old repeaters" : After a second look I decided to try pushing the pendant downward once more, but with just a little bit more pressure than I had tried earlier, the pendant then travelled downward into the watch case and the watch then rang out the correct bells for hours and quarters as the pendant returned to its extended position! Originaly I had thought the pendant may have previously been jammed in a downward position ( or been locked by the sliding button on the edge of the case ) as to my inexperienced eyes the pendant seemed to be on the short side. The watch had earlier travelled a long way in the post (US to NZ) which meant damage while in transit was also a strong possiblity. So I was pleasantly surprised when the pendant moved and the repeater function rang out the correct amount of bells Thank you to the helpful members who replied to my original post, Kind regards, Karl.

Hello Members, Earlier this year I acquired my first repeater, however only of late have I had a chance to fully explore its operation (or lack of). I am unsure exactly how one gets this type to sound. Being relatively new to these devices I'm very wary of causing any damage to it. As pictured there is a small (slide type?) button on the outside rim of the watch, and from searches in the NAWCC forums it appears this could be a device to lock the pendant down? Early Repeater
I have tried moving this button (it doesn't seem to want to move in any direction with light effort), but I'm also unsure as to just how much travel this button would have, and whether there should be any downward pressure on the pendant at the same time? This pocket watch had a rather long shipping journey and so there is always the chance it was possibly damaged in transit too (hopefully not, it was well packaged...). The timekeeping part of the watch runs fine, so any basic instructions on the repeating function would be most welcomed! Kind regards, Karl.

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