No chiming on three quarter hour

[FrankNatoli]

Pearl mechanism grandfather clock, recently professionally cleaned, oiled and timed. All works well EXCEPT somewhat anomalous chime behavior. Quarter hour chimes once. Half hour chimes twice. Three-quarter hour totally silent. On the hour chimes five times, followed by correct number of strikes for the hour. Any suggestions for why the three-quarter hour chiming is silent, or why the on the hour chiming has one extra chime?

 

[doug sinclair]

Welcome,

It sounds to me as though the problem is with the chime quarter correction system. This is the system that is designed to correct the chime sequence to agree with the time indicated by the hands, if the sequence is ever interrupted. I'll try to give an example. Let's say that you have let the chimes run down, but the clock is still running. When you advance the minute hand to the next quarter hour, and stop (let's say you stop at 1:15), you might find the chime playing the full hour chime. Move the minute hand to 1:30, you should find the chime doing the quarter after. Move the minute hand to 1:45, the clock chimes the half past. Set the clock to 2:00, and the clock chimes quarter to the hour. This is when CHIME correction starts. Move the hands to read 2:15, then 2:30, then 2:45, and the clock shouldn't chime at any of these times. When you move the hands to read 3:00, it should chime the hour, and strike the correct hour.

The answer you most likely will find the most helpful would be the answer given by the shop that "professionally" serviced it. I have a good understanding of clock chiming and striking sequences should work, but I am totally unable to make any sense of the striking sequence you are trying to describe!

 

[kinsler33]

It sounds like one of the cams is slipping or incorrectly positioned, or both. This can happen if you forget to tighten things after setting up the chimes. Take it back and gripe: it shouldn't be a big deal to fix.

M Kinsler.

 

[shutterbug]

Is this a quarter striking clock then? It does not sound like a chimer. The 3/4 hour should strike 3 times, and the hour 4, followed by the hour count. Can we see a pic of the front of the movement?

 

[JTD]

If I understand correctly what the enquirer is saying, it seems that the quarters are all correct (1 at quarter past, 2 at half past, four at the hour) except for the third quarter (quarter to the hour) which for some reason doesn't sound at all. Then at the hour, he gets the four quarter strikes plus an extra one, and then the correct number of hours.

Not sure I've explained what I think he means very well, but hope it helps!

JTD

 

[shutterbug]

I think you're right, JTD. I read it the same way.

 

[bangster]

Do quarter-strikers have a locking plate, similar to a chimer? Or a second rack & snail? I've never seen one.

 

[shutterbug]

Often a second rack. Same snail.

 

[bangster]

Then it sounds like a rack problem to me.

 

[R. Croswell]

Then it sounds like a rack problem to me.

Sounds like it very well could be a rack problem and it would be nice to the front of the movement, but I believe M Kinsler is correct about the solution. If the clock was recently serviced and now it doesn't work, I would contact the person who serviced it and ask them to check it before fooling with it. Chances are they will be happy to make it right.

RC

 

[doug sinclair]

From the look of things, the OP has tuned out of this thread. Too much information lacking from him, to really come up with an answer!

 

[bangster]

Don't 'cha find that ungrateful and annoying?

 

[JTD]

Yes.

JTD

 

[R. Croswell]

Don't 'cha find that ungrateful and annoying?

Yes I do when someone actually does 'tune out' and does not respond or acknowledge the help offered, but in this case the original post was on Friday and its only now Monday, so perhaps he was just away with family over the weekend or something. I'll reserve judgment and wait a while longer and see if he comes back during the week.

RC

 

[Tinker Dwight]

The OP most likely took answer #3 and left. It would
be nice if 1 time posters would follow up but many don't seem
to. Its not polite but then most people are not polite.
If you turn on your turn signal early to change lanes on the
rode, the other fellow speeds up to close the gap.
Tinker Dwight

 

[harold bain]

Actually, he hasn't been back since he posted. May have lost us, or forgotten that he posted here.

 

[shutterbug]

Actually, he hasn't been back since he posted. May have lost us, or forgotten that he posted here.

I think that happens. People are Googling for answers, follow a link to our MB, ask a question, and then forget where they were when they posted the question.