The Clock Jobber's Handybook

By Paul N. Hasluck

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The

CLOCK JOBBER'S HANDYBOOK.

In putting the clock movement together, take especial care to see that the line is free, and on the right side of the pillars. When ready to adjust the line in its place, wind it upon the spring-barrel by turning the arbor ; and when the line is all wound upon the barrel, and the fusee pulled round as far as it will go, set up the main-spring one turn, and secure the click in the ratchet-wheel. Wind the clock up, carefully guiding, the line on the fusee, and see that the slopwork acts properly, and does not cut the line when it rubs. The snail on the fusee should catch against the stop directly the fusee grooves- are filled with the line. Foreign clocks have no fusee, the spring itself being wound round the barrel arbor on which he winding key is placed. The fusee is the distinguishing, characteristic in English spring dials.

French Clocks are of a style of manufacture different altogether from the English, being distinguished externally by their elaborate gilt, wood or stone cases, and internally by finer mechanism, usually set between round plates, with short pendulum rods and heavy bobs, in proportion to the length. There are several varieties: timepieces, clocks which strike at the hour and at the half-hour, carriage clocks, and drum timepieces of various kinds, besides a large number of curious and fancy styles. They have movements that are much more delicate and smaller than either English, American or German clocks; in fact, they almost suggest a grade between clocks and watches. The circular plates and the short and heavy pendulums usually distinguish these clocks. Drum timepieces are perhaps the most familiar specimens of French productions; they are a source of continual trouble to the repairer. Being extremely portable, they are frequently carried about the house, often on a tray; and, being very unstable, it is no unusual occurrence, under such circumstances, to find that the drum timepiece is rolled down a flight of stairs. The result may be more or less serious: "a good shake" is the usual remedy. The better kinds of French clocks give very accurate results, and the striking timepieces are so delicate and fragile that amateurs should be very chary of them until some manipulative skill has been acquired. With the exception of the drum timepieces, French clocks, as a rule, perform uncommonly well, and give the repairer very little trouble. Vienna regulators, or Austrian clocks, are of later introduction, very much resemble French workmanship, and are excellent time-keepers.

German Clocks are made chiefly of wood. Brass bushes are driven into the wooden frames or plates, to form bearings for the pivots. Familiarly called Dutch clocks, they are well known, being cheap, and fairly- good time-keepers. Weights are the motive power, and they hang from the clock, exposed together with the pendulum; this is a distinguishing feature. Most German clocks may be easily known from those of any other nationality by their plates of wood, with brass bushes for the pivots to run in; no other country produces clocks made in this manner. The manufacture of clocks in Germany is almost entirely confined to the locality of Black Forest, and forms there an important branch of industry; nearly every form of ordinary clock being made, in addition to large numbers of "cuckoo," "trumpeter," musical, automaton, and curious clocks. Hall Clocks are the old-fashioned, long-cased clocks, standing six or seven feet high. They have pendulums beating seconds, and have weights for the motive power. When we look from the high standpoint of modern clockwork, in some instances the workmanship of these old clocks is open to criticism. Still, the whole machine is the best that has been designed for reliable time-keeping. The solid construction of all its parts, and the regular proportions of the wheels — so far as their numbers and revolutions are concerned — and, above all, the seconds pendulum, and the long fall given to the weights, combine qualities which, notwithstanding the rude execution sometimes met with, give better results than any other class of clocks made for household purposes. Regulators are constructed with every possible care to ensure the greatest accuracy in time-keeping. Astronomical observatories, watchmakers' shops, and occasionally the houses -of private individuals who value extreme accuracy in time, are the usual repositories for regulators. They generally have pendulums that beat seconds, and which are compensated for variation in temperature. Mercurial pendulums are now mostly used when cost is not a great object. Regulators seldom require any other attention than cleaning very carefully and oiling properly. On account of the value of the time-keeper and the delicacy of the mechanism, the inexperienced jobber should not make any essays on regulators. Skeleton Clocks are frequently found in common use. They are made with pierced brass plates of ornamental design, and the entire movement is exposed to view. A glass shade is placed over it to exclude dust, &c. These clocks are very good time-keepers, and are interesting inasmuch as they afford the opportunity of examining the mechanism when going, and thus becoming familiar with its action. A simple eight-day skeleton clock standing eighteen inches high made for about $25 with marble stand and glass shade. The whole of the component parts, including the frames, wheels, pinions, dial and hands may be bought. Amateurs having a small lathe and a few other tools could fit the parts together: the resulting clock being a reliable time-keeper and an ornament to the mantel-shelf.

Turret Clocks are in construction similar to the ordinary kind, but the mechanism is much larger and stronger. They are placed in church towers, town halls and similar positions. In these large clocks the course of examining strictly enjoined as absolutely necessary in all house clocks may generally be dispensed with. The cause of stopping is usually apparent, and by trying the side-shake of the pivots in their holes, it can be readily felt if any new ones are required. The depths are nearly always correct, and the end-shakes can be tried the last thing when put together. The illustration, Fig. 6, shows a turret clock with the maker's name upon it. It chimes all the quarters, strikes hours on a ton bell, and shows time on four dials. It is constructed with the bed of cast-iron, 6 ft. long; all wheels and bushes are of gun-metal, the main wheels are 16 in. diameter and the teeth 1.5 in. wide, the pinions are cut from solid cast-steel, the escapement is Denison's double three-legged gravity. The pendulum compensation of iron and zinc tubes and steel rod, carrying a ball weighing two cwt. The quarters' cam barrel consists of iron rings, into which the cams for lifting the hammers fit, and can be adjusted in any way required. There are many recent improvements in the construction of this clock; all cams and levers are of cast-steel, hardened and tempered. Any wheel or pinion can be taken out of the frames separately, the bushes being screwed in at both ends ; there are over 900 pieces in the clock and dial work. There are two ways of treating church clocks : one consists FIG. 6. — Turret clock with quarter chimes.

of cleaning them as well as possible with a brush, without removing any of the wheels from the frame, called " wiping out; " and the other in taking them all to pieces and thoroughly cleaning, in the same manner as small clocks. Which method is necessary or desirable must be decided by judgment. It will be found usually sufficient to thoroughly clean them about every five or six years, and "wipe them out " once every year — about autumn being the best time, before the cold weather sets in to influence the oil. When the clock drives the hands at a distance, it is very necessary to see that the leading-off rods and universal joints do not bind in any part of their movement. When do not bind in any part of their movement. When the dial work stands in a very oblique position in regard to the driving- wheel of the train, it is often much better to use bevelled wheels than the ordinary leading-off rods and universal joints, and small-sized, straight-drawn iron tubes will be found very serviceable for making the connections, by simply fitting turned pieces of steel into the ends to carry the wheels. These may be said to complete the list of clocks that are to be found in ordinary use.

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Hasluck, Paul N. The Clock Jobber’s Handybook. London: Crosby Lockwood and Son, 1889.

This and the following pages are excerpts from the book.