Help? Chime stopped working

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:11 am     Post subject: Help? Chime stopped working

I have a Howard Miller Triple Chime Bracket Mantle Clock, movement is 1050-020. Clock and chimes were working just fine. Then I moved the chime selection lever and ever since it won't chime at all.

Why?

Now I've found some instructions on the internet that say the chime selection lever should not be moved at certain times of the day. Is that what happened? Please tell me there is some easy fix to get the chime working again!

Bob

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 1:09 pm     Post subject:

I am not aware of any certain rule of thumb where you should not move the chime selection lever... With one exception. I would think that you would not want to move it while the movement was chiming/striking. Aside from that, I am not aware of any other reasons why you could not move the chime select lever at any time of the day.

Many movements that have a chime select lever have different chime options (sometimes two to four options, depending on the movement). In many cases, "Silent" is one of these chime options. This silences the movement from chiming at all (24/7). Chime selections (or tunes, to include "silent") may be indicated on the clock face where the chime select lever sticks through. Make certain your movement is not in the "silent" position.

Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:17 am     Post subject:

I should have been clearer. It is most definitely not anything simple like the selector being on silent. The chime was working and something jammed or broke or something and now it will not chime no matter where the lever is set. If I play with the lever sometimes is goes slack and then it will catch and the chime will play for about 1 to 2 seconds and then stop.

I'm sure a repair shop could repair it but who can afford that. I was hoping someone had the same thing happen to them and knew what needs to be done to get the chime working again. I've removed the movement to see if there was anything obviously "stuck" or something, but there's too many parts for me to tell.

Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 2:44 pm     Post subject:

Here's a general idea of how your chime train works (as per the Hermle Service Manual):

The chiming train is activated in much the same manner as the striking train. A lever is lifted by a cam (with four lobes) mounted to the centershaft arbor. This lifting action starts the process of unlocking the train. At the same time, a warning device moves into place to restrain the train until the exact time when it is to start operating. When the minute hand reaches that appropriate time to chime, the tail of the lever drops off the cam on the center shaft and the chiming train is allowed to run (just long enough to execute the appropriate measre[s] of music identifying the quarter hour). The amount of time the train is allowed to run is governed by a control cam with raised sections of specific lengths that hold the shut-off lever hook free of the locking device until the exact moment the train is to be shut off.

Perhaps this is just a matter of adjustment for the timing of the various cams and disks that control chiming, warning, and shut-off functions... Or, perhaps something is broken in regard to the series of components that operate the chime train. I think that you should consider having the movement looked at. Qualified repair people should be able to give you an idea of the problem and the cost of repair. As far as a repair is concerned, you could request estimates initially (repair only commensing upon your acceptance of the provided quote). On the other hand - - You could also seek out repair manuals, do a lot of heavy reading, and attempt to diagnose and repair yourself.

As a final note: Please feel free to check back within this forum post for other responces. I will readily attest that I am (by no means) an authority on mechanical movements. We do, however, have several forum partrons (far more experienced than I) who may be able to supply further comments and/or suggestions.

Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:37 pm     Post subject:

"I'm sure a repair shop could repair it but who can afford that."

Yup, that's exactly how I felt when my transmission went South on my truck not too long ago! But, let's face some facts before trying to do someone else's job for them.

1. Not everyone can tear down, clean, and reassemble a transmission AND get it to operate consistently again, same holds true for a quality clock mechanism.

2. It takes years of experience and training to become proficient at repairing a transmission on the level of being able to do most any brand that is towed into your repair shop. The same holds true for the wide range of clocks that are out there and still in operation or in need of some work to put them back into operation again. (Well, with the possible exception of the towing part!)

3. A truly qualified and fully experienced transmission specialist can handle anything from a Model T tranny to the latest computer controlled automatic all wheel drive transmission. I consider a fully qualified clock repairman one who can disassemble a 300 year old mechanism, clean it, make the necessary repairs, and get it running again on up to a modern clock that is in for its very first inspection and cleaning.

Not to further belabor the issue, I suspect that you may be seeing a pattern to my examples by now. diagnosing a problem with a clock movement and fixing it properly and with the confidence that it will operate for many years isn't quite as easy as changing a mower blade on the 22" rotary mower or programming the new remote for your TV.

Clock repair is the most demanding and precise work that I have ever attempted to do in my entire life. There simply isn't room for "That's close enough" or "That should work"! It will either run or it won't and there is NO in between fudge factor to pull the novice out of a jam! I have spent a full career in Auto Body repair owning and operating my own shop and teaching a vocational program at a local CC for a total of 30+ years, I have owned and operated a retail wildlife art gallery and custom framing shop for a total of 20 years and now am learning clock repair after becoming bored to tears with retirement!!

Trust me, in the long run, it will pay you to take your clock movement to a reputable clock repair shop and let them do the work for you. Most will guarantee their repairs, I do, and they will be there for you to tweak the movement should it need tweaking after it is reinstalled and operating in your clock case. There is a practical reason for a list of professional careers and the need for higher education in trade schools and colleges to learn the whys and wherefores of individual careers. Otherwise, most anyone could conceivably "find some instructions on the internet" and clean their own teeth or repair their own electronics or do a myriad of other technical repairs that are needed in this modern day in age.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. In my nearly 70 years on this planet, I have learned the meaning of the old term "penny wise and pound foolish" and I just wanted to pass along some personal tips that I have picked up along the way.

Regarding what you suspect may have caused your problem, you are probably on the right track. If you moved that selection lever during the "set-up" time in the chime sequence, you may have jammed some set-up or operational levers or caused the movement lock up in the chime drive train completely. There is a definite mechanical sequence which allows the chimes to operate at a predetermined sequence every 15 minutes and then play a complete "tune" on the hour in addition to notifying the listener of what hour it happens to be. It is no different than shifting gears in a transmission to make the vehicle go forwards or backwards, run slow in first gear or get up and blow the doors off the competition on the track!! But, to understand the logistical procedure and step by step analysis of how this occurs is the difference between doing quality level repairs and taking a shot in the dark and possibly doing much more damage to your valued clock.