Hermle identification

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 11:36 pm     Post subject: Hermle identification

Folks,
I am new to this forum and have starting collecting mechanical pendulum clocks.
Whilst I am driving the rest on my family crazy with the made ticking sound, I find the process of finding and restoring and admiring the clock very fulfilling.

I recently found a clock with a Hermle mechanism I am trying to identify. The markings are (to the best of my ability to see and the marking is a faint)

I will get some photos as soon as I can if this will help.
Can any one assist?

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:16 am     Post subject:

I know of no Hermle movement starting with those numbers. There is 1051, 1050, even a 150. You might try to get a better look at it or get a picture. To identify the movement you need the numbers off the actual back plate of the movement. Not the case. I wasnt sure by your wording whether or not thats where you found it.

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:30 am     Post subject:

I am reading the markings on the back plate
Sure got the name wrong. it is says "Kienzle"
the 5 is very feint and could be a 3
there is also a small "wy".

Thanx for helping out
Matt

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:30 pm     Post subject: Kienzle

In 1822 Johannes Schlenker began to run a clockshop at Schwenningen. He made typical Black Forest clocks with wooden works and a lacquered shield, the so-called "Lackschilduhren".
Johannes Schlenker, born in 1782, died in 1864, He had three sons who were involved in the clockshop. On April 18th 1883 the grandson of Johannes Schlenker Karl Johannes and the husband of his daughter Jakob Kienzle became directors of the family run business. They started producing clocks in an industrial way.
The brandmark of the famous Schlenker & Kienzle clocks was a wheel with two wings. In the first years they sold their clocks mainly in Germany and Austria. In 1887 they founded another factory in Komotau (Austria). Before 1908 several other factories and sales offices in Germany, France, England and Italy were built. In 1908 three quarters of all clocks were exported.
Until 1893 the factory only produced clocks with massive plates. Then they started to produce also cheaper clockworks with skeleton plates in the way most american clocks were made, the so-called "Amerikaneruhren". Between 1883 and 1907 they made 2,301,240 clocks with massive plates, and between 1894 and 1907 they made 5,327,450 clocks in the american way.

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:19 am     Post subject: Kienzle clocks

From what I've been able to learn whatever was left of the Kienzle firm was sold to offshore (far east) interests several years ago. Since then the company has been broken up. For all intents and purposes it no longer exists and no mechanical clocks have been produced in years.

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 6:36 am     Post subject:

Thanx for the back ground info.

Is there any information on identifying the movements.
I find clock balance is extremely critical, and the Tick appears to be lop sided as if it is off balance.
I am unable to pack the case to an even sounding tick with out it stopping.
Once going the clock keeps good time and chimes very well.
Thanx for your help
Matt

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 4:28 pm     Post subject: Kienzle clock

Clock levelling has been discussed many times on these pages.

Some clock movements can be brought into beat (even tick tock sound) by moving the verge which is a friction fit, left or right until you achieve a regular tick tock sound. I would think that your Kienzle clock is that type of movement.

First of all make sure that the surface that the clock will be sitting on is level.
Looking at the back of the clock movement you'll note that the pendulum leader passes through a slot in the verge arm. The verge is the part that allows the escape wheel to move forward one tooth at a time. The verge extension arm should move back and forth freely but you will feel resistance after a certain point in either direction. With a little pressure it can be moved a little beyond that point. Start the pendulum and listen to the sound. If it is worse than before, move the extension arm in the opposite direction. By trial and error moving the verge arm back and forth you can bring the clock back into beat.

In some clocks, particularly some types of American clocks, the verge and the pendulum wire are one piece construction. The only way they can be adjusted is to bend the pendulum wire slightly.