Problem re-establishing beat after move

[Greg Bakes]

Hi
I'm a newbie so some of my terminology may be incorrect. I inherited my Dad's 1970s German Kieninger Grandfather clock. Since moving it to our house I haven't been able to keep it going. I have (I think) established that it has something to do with the crutch. The tic toc is uneven and goes tic toc -- tic toc. When I tilt the long case around 2 degrees off level to my right it corrects the beat. I noticed the crutch has an adjustment screw which I'm guessing is how I'm supposed to correct the problem instead of bending the crutch. However, the adjustment is on full and can't be adjusted any further. If I try adjusting in the other direction the beat gets worse. I would prefer to find a way to fix this that doesn't require me to have the long case at a permanent tilt. Any help is appreciated.

[Ian Partridge]

"Greg Bakes" <greg...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:a7ce8143-d065-4e4f...@googlegroups.com...

Adjust the the leveling screw on your pendulum suspension to the centre
position, allowing equal turns of the screw to each side.

Next, tilt the case trunk to the left, or right, until you can hear that the
beat is equal. You will need to provide a wedge under the clock base to
achieve this.

You may need to place a wood spacer, the same width as your skirting board,
behind the clock trunk to steady it.

Ian

[Greg Bakes]

Thanks Ian. I was hoping I could adjust it another way without tilting the case. It looks quite crooked by the time i get it in a position where the beat is even. I'm thinking something has happened when it was moced because i don't recall Dad had to tilt it as much.

[Chris]

A lurker here, but restored a 1940's IBM master clock a few years ago
and had similar problems. If the movement is solid in the case back and
hasn't been moved, the first thing I would look at is the linkage from
the escapement to the pendulum. If the clock as been moved without
removing the pendulum, or pendulum moved by hand and jammed on the
escape wheel, the wheel shaft or linkage could be distorted and no
longer in true. Also, make sure all the screws holding the movement
in the case back are good and tight.

First thing, spirit level the case vertical to establish a datum,
front and side and wedge, as floors are rarely that level. Set the
beat adjust to center scale. If possible, disconnect the linkage
between the escapement and the pendulum, at which point it should
hang center scale, if there is one at the weight end. Assuming that,
adjust the linkage to bring the pendulum at rest in the middle of
the escapement travel. Start the clock and fine tune the beat for
accuracy. The IBM has a bracket at case top to screw to the wall,
essential for long term accuracy. Stability is everything etc :-).

Spent ages playing with the IBM, but got it rated to better than
2 minutes a year and it's not even the most accurate model, so well
worth getting right. Pendulum clocks can be remarkably accurate...

Regards,

Chris

[Greg Bakes]

Thanks Chris. I will give your suggestion a go and get back to you. Cheers

[Chris]

Thanks. Perhaps a more accurate way to center the pendulum / escapement
calibration is to measure the distance from at rest position, to the
point where you hear the click of escapement release, left and right,
which should in theory be equal.

I'm a newbie with all this as well, the IBM being the only pendulum
clock ever restored here, so others may have better ideas, but good
luck with it anyway. A bit of a labour of love, but the reward is a
long term reliable and accurate timepiece...

Regards,

Chris

[Invalid]

In message <r8h6jf$r17$1...@gioia.aioe.org>, Ian Partridge
<i...@ipartridge.freeserve.co.uk> writes

Greg, Not sure if you have fixed this issue.

Many of the German clocks of that era have what is known as "automatic
beat setting" to allow the purchaser to get the clock in beat easily. In
effect
there is a friction clutch somewhere between the crutch and the anchor.
I suspect the relationship between crutch and escapement has been
shifted out of alignment in the move.

Apparently the idea is to start the pendulum with as wide an arc as the
case allows and the escapement should centre itself on the escape
wheel.See item 4 in

https://www.grandfatherclocks123.com/clock-news/instructions-for-kieninge
r-grandfather-clocks

As the get older and stickier they no longer slip properly, but you
should still have a friction clutch that you can tweak manually to put
the clock in beat. The adjustment screws on the crutch are for fine
tuning.

Follow Ian's, instructions then start the pendulum as wide as the case
allows and see how it goes. If that doesn't work try holding the anchor
level with one hand and push the crutch (gently) towards the side with
the longest tick. It should move very slightly.

One thing that can happen is the friction clutch becomes too loose to
hold the relationship - then you probably need a clockmaker to fix it.

Google "Kieninger Beat setting" and look at some of the posts on the
NAWCC message board - they will give you some ideas.
--
Invalid

[Greg Bakes]

Thanks Ian. It's strange but the clock has kept going now for a few days even though to my ear it sounds out of beat. Maybe it's because of the friction clutch readjusting as you said.

[Ian Partridge]

"Greg Bakes" <greg...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:1e1cae56-106e-4de4...@googlegroups.com...

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That is great to hear your clock is going now. The deadbeat escapement has a
subtly different sound to an anchor escapement. Tick should be equal volume,
not equal timbre'