Help with a Junghans mantel clock

[wairds]

I am in the process of repairing a Junghans mantel clock.

Things were progressing well until I came across the following issue.

When attempting to strike 9 the pin in the gathering pallet is jamming on the apex of one of the teeth of the rack. I have tried adjusting where the rack strikes the snail but it makes no difference. This only seems to occur at 9 o’clock.

I hasten to add I am very much an amateur in clock repairing and would appreciate any advice.

Thank you.

[watchweasol]

Hi welcome to the forum,  regarding the clock ,  have you dismantled it cleaned it and checked all the pivots and pivot holes for wear which would cause this sort of problem. Also can you provide pictures of the front of the clock etc.  What is the clocks history, has it been “ repaired” before as all these factors are determined in diagnosis. It is possible it’s been fiddled wit( before and things are mal adjusted. 

[wairds]

Thank you for your welcome and your prompt response.

I have completely dismantled, cleaned, all pivots checked for wear and lubricated. I can only give the history from my ownership and it was purchased to enable me to enhance my knowledge of clock repair. I have no idea what took place prior to my ownership.

I admit I am very much an amateur at this but have been vey careful in dismantling, cleaning, checking and rebuilding the clock and don’t believe I have done any thing to cause this issue.

[watchweasol]

Hi. Two things spring to mind. Did you remove the gathering pallet when you dismantled it and at what position i# the rack tail in on the snail cam when the rack releases. The tail should be between half to two thirds along the cam surface depending on who’s book you read. There is also a relationship between the gathering pallet and the strike warning wheel.   To position the gathering pallet correctly, hold the rack hook out of the way to control the strike train by controlling the speed of the fly and observe the moment when the hammer arbour falls and stop the train. Now observe where the pin position of the warning wheel is. It should be in a quarter turn before its normal stop position. You need to check the strike operation.  In some clocks the rack arm and the tail piece are of a two piece construction and its conceive able the tail has moved.  Points worth checking position of the tail on the snail, warning wheel position  and the gathering pallet position relative to the warning / hammer release.

[nevenbekriev]

In case You still didn't find the answer...

I am not sure about the english names of the parts. The angle between the two parts of the lever shown on the picture has to be enlarged (opened) a little. In the state of preperation, when the downside part has fallen on the snail, the correspondent tooth tip must point straight against the pivot, on which the pin that moves the lever up is placed. Be sure that  the hour wheel is placed correctly so the downside part of the lever falls in the middle of the steps of the snail. You can see that someone drilled hole and put rivet there, but He didn't do His best to align the parts or with the time alignment changed.

[oldhippy]

Are you sure the snail (hour wheel) is in the right place, have you tried moving it by one tooth.

[wairds]

Watchweasol, thank you for your detailed response. I have carried out all the checks you suggested and all seem to be in order. What baffled me was that it only appeared to happen when striking 9. I have adjusted where the rack strikes the snail and it appears to have done the trick. But I am not convinced at the gathering pallet seems to “stutter” when lifting the rack.

Nevenbekriev, thank you for taking the trouble to respond. The angle between the rack and the tail is fixed and I cannot change it.

Oldhippy, thanks for your advice, as I mentioned in my response to Watchweasol I have moved the wheel forward and it seems to have done the trick. We will see.

Thank you all.

[watchweasol]

Hi. The timing is important as is the warning set up.  If you are getting into clocks, Laurie Pennmans and Mike Watters bothe have books on the subject as does Donald De Carle all worth reading.