Adjusting Garrar Pendulum Movement

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:26 pm     Post subject: Adjusting Garrar Pendulum Movement

Evening all. I have a few questions concerning the above. Firsty, the clock is not keeping time so I am adjusting the pendulum. Every time I take the pendulum off to adjust then put back on the clock seems to go out of beat. I am moving the clock very carefully by holding the pendulum against the back plate (not heavily). Eventually I get the beat back but not sure why I have to keep setting the beat. It has a friction crutch. Secondly when I get it going the tock sounds heavier than the tick (My wife thinks I am splitting hairs here). Does this mean that it is still out of beat or is my wife right. The clock does go. If it is out of beat slightly will this affect the timing? Finally the pendulum has S with an arrow pointing left and F with arrow pointing right. I assume that this means slower and faster. How much of a turn is equal to 1 minute. Sorry such a long post.

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:08 pm     Post subject:

F&S is for fast and slow. The heavier sound on one side is posibly a poorly adjusted escapement you would have to have good knowledge of escpements to adjust this. The beat problem sounds like you have an auto beat adjuster this feature is found in more modern movements, to activate this you move the pend. all the way to one side and let go as the swing of the pend. slowsdown it adjusts itself, set the correct time 5-10 minutes later. I dont usualy remove the pend. to adjust the regulation of a clock, but sometimes it is nessesary in small spaces? In a spring driven clock that has beeen regulated to within one min. per 24 hrs. i would start making adjustments once every 7 days (i assume its an 8 day movement) making much smaller adjustments, 1/16-1/4 turn of the reg. nut.

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:19 am     Post subject:

A picture of the movement showing the escape wheel and verge would be helpful. The loud tock you speak of may be OK if the beats are steady. The fact that is gets out of beat every time you remove the pendulum tells me that the friction crutch is not tight and slipping easily. That friction can be adjusted, but it depends on the type of escapement you are dealing with. A detailed description or photo would help greatly.

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:33 pm     Post subject:

Hi

Thank you both for your replies (I truly appreciate your help). The clock seems to be in beat, just sounds slightly heavier on one side. The clock was recenty overhauled at considerable expense (wife fell in love with it. The movement is Garrard Trade Mark Pat Nos 379402/1931 378897/1931. The movement is 1930's. The escapement is a square plate that has a metal piece which has a screw at the top of it. The pendulum hangs from the metal piece. De Carle (P16 practicle clock repairing) describes it as follows "Device for adjusting the Gerrard escapement. The screw at the top adjusts the pallet clock hole". The friction crutch is a piece of metal that sits tight at the top of the pendulum (P43 of the above book fig 7. When I adjust the crutch I do so my physically moveing the crutch itself. Is this incorrect? After reading the reply and reading the book it seems like I move the pend as far as it will go and let it go. As said I adjust the crutch by holding the pendulum and then slightly moveing the friction crutch. Would provide a picture but camera not working. Many thanks.[/img]