Posted 4 years ago
AnythingOb…
(1778 items)
SEE ALSO:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/284156-my-antique-new-haven-mantle-clock-1
Here's four more pics showing the movement and chime mechanisms within this clock. I find no particular numbers or markings on any of it - except the word "PATENTED" stamped on the side of the chime frame - OR I'm just looking in all the wrong places...? ;-) :-)
I'm also unsure of how to properly 'set' its time, other than just moving its hands manually.
The clock movement does seem to want to run but its chime mechanism might be out of sync with it, there is also one broken or dislodged chime rod as can be seen. (1st one inside the case) I'm very hesitant to try to do anything about that myself other than carefully trying to stick the rod back in its hole with tiny needle nose pliers, where it did not really want to stay...so it awaits a professional clock repairman to have that looked into.
Awesome mechanism!
Hello AnythingObscure!
It's good to see you around the "Clocks" neighborhood. Thanks for sharing your New Haven Westminster Chiming Tambour. I kind of wish they would allow for more photos, but I guess there has to be a limit and I like what you've done here. While I couldn't find a model name for your Tambour Case, this looks to be the infamous 3-plate New Haven 8-day Westminster Movement. If you get someone to work on this, make sure they are a well established shop with a good reputation. This is not a movement for a beginner.
New Haven designed their 3-plate movement to make it smaller and more versatile for their various case designs. This movement could go in small cases as well as their larger ones. The New Haven "Abbey"
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.clockprices.com%2Ffile%2F2015%2F08%2F03%2F19400620_1_l.jpg&f=1&nofb=1
and "Inglewood"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMhOKEK6YAc
are a couple of other models which case this same movement.
Unfortunately, broken chime rods are not easily fixed. Their sound characteristics are dependent upon an intact, and properly tapered form. Most like you'll need to have someone either replace and tune the broken chime rod, or replace all of them with a tuned set.
It will take a serious effort to get your clock back in good running order. I hope that you decide to do so, but it will probably be a fairly expensive proposition.
Good luck with it.
Regards,
Bruce
Warm greetings, Bruce -- THANK YOU so much for ever so kind *and* informative comments, VERY MUCH appreciated!! It is fun to finally be in the 'antique mechanical clocks' family here at CW!! :-)
Since my original showing, I carefully wound the clock and have been watching/listening to how it currently works. Preliminary results of that are actually rather good I think...even though its dial is still several hrs off of 'real time', it has continued to run. Its hour hand seems to be about 30mins off from when the minute hand otherwise triggers the Westminster and hour strike chimes and there's obviously that missing note in the W'minster melody. (I actually do understand all about how 'chime rods' work, BTW) Also, oddly, the first time it tried to strike the hour it actually went more like <ka-thunk><ka-thunk><ka-thunk> instead -- but somehow during the next hour or two whatever part in there that must have been slightly dislodged *fixed itself* and it indeed begin to actually chime the hour too.
For the record, I can't tell y'all how much I've enjoyed hearing it softly chime from the other room every so often...it's taken me 55yrs now to *finally* have that particular sound in my home. :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
Thanks also Bruce for your advice re: getting it properly reconditioned/repaired. I absolutely intend to do so eventually, I've already taken it to one local shop (quoted $175 for general cleaning/repair, but the chime rod would probably increase that) and plan to take it to at least one or two more, before forking over any of my $$. In the meantime I'm just delighted that it generally seems to still work, as it is.
More THANKS to Lata for your comment, and to Watchsearcher, vetraio50, fortapache, RichmondLori, Bruce99, Lata, yougottahavestuff, blunderbuss2, & officialfuel for leaving your <love it>s!! :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
Hello AnthingObscure.
You're very welcome!
You said...
>>Its hour hand seems to be about 30mins off from when the minute hand otherwise triggers the Westminster and hour strike<<
The hour hand is a friction fit on the hour tube so it can be rotated (CW or CCW) to its proper setting without harm to the movement. To be on the safe side, (unless you know for sure that it is safe to do otherwise) only move the minute hand in a Clockwise direction...pausing at each chime and strike point to allow the movement to finish before you continue to advance the minute hand.
>>Also, oddly, the first time it tried to strike the hour it actually went more like <ka-thunk><ka-thunk><ka-thunk><<
It sounds like perhaps the chime rod clamp was closed. Look in the case to see if there is a clamp that looks a little like a bear trap. The jaws are supposed to close down on the chime rods to protect them when the clock is moved or shipped. When used properly the Clamp helps prevent broken chime rods. Your Chime Rod Clamp might be operated by that little lever I can see in one of your photos.
You might want to keep an eye on eBay Listings for New Haven Tambour Chime Rods. It could be less expensive to get an intact array of Chime Rods from a similar derelict model which has been lost and parted out. The things to look out for would be the number and dimensions of the rods along with the spacing of the fasteners which go through the sound board/bottom of the case. Ideally you don't want to have to drill new holes for a non-matching chime rod assembly.
Have patience, with a little luck, what you need will come on the market. If not, alternatively, someone could fix what you have but the Factory pressed the original rods into their holding block (Boss). The damaged rod would probably have to be drilled out and replaced with a chime rod that screws into a tapped hole. The replacement would would then need to be tuned to the remaining set.
Good luck with it and thanks again for sharing with us.
Bruce
Greetings again, Bruce and once more my most sincere appreciation of your expert advice! I hadn't yet tried to move the hour hand itself, but shortly after writing my comment earlier this afternoon I did actually turn the minute hand around to actual time -- unfortunately not waiting for the strike points, so maybe un-synching it more than it was already... <groan> ...but I'm still (with your most generous help!) learning about how this clock is supposed to work. I've already found the chime clamp lever thing the first time I looked inside it (guessing some past mover didn't, thus the now broken chime rod) but was so far of the opinion that the actual 'hour strike' chime wasn't one of those rods in the bottom, otherwise something somewhere else in the mechanism. (??) I'll be continuing to not only research it otherwise but (carefully!) experiment with it, to see if I can get it a little closer to correct operation without doing any further potential damage to it, until I can actually choose/pay for a proper restoration by a truly qualified individual.
Once again, my most sincere THANKS for your advice and help!!
All the best, Tim