Pendulum suspension spring problem

[Rod NeepParticipant @rodneep80388]

My wife has a lot of faith in me…. "I moved the clock that you bought for our anniversary 20 years ago, and now it doesn't work. Can you mend it?"

It took me quite a while to find out what was wrong (I know virtually nothing about clocks). It would tick if the pendulum was removed, but not with it fitted. Then I noticed that there is a tiny spring (just a single flat leaf) at the top of the pendulum arm that appeared to be broken.

The spring is held at the top and bottom by small "plates". The exposed spring length is about 5mm long…. I presume that the spring comes with the plates attached…. but where can I get hold of one?

You can see here that the spring has snapped perfectly in half.

Edit: Hmmm…. were there two springs, each about 3mm long, held between the plates? Each broken where it meets the plate.

Thanks

Rod

Edited By Rod Neep on 12/05/2016 15:44:48

[Rod NeepParticipant @rodneep80388]

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

Probably here or Cousins

**LINK**

John

–

[Roger WoollettParticipant @rogerwoollett53105]

You might find this link to Cousins website easier to use.

Get the bits out of the clock and measure between the two holes. 'B' on the website.

**LINK**

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

Meadows and Passmore Or you can open the brass cheeks out (remove the pin first) and measure the springs or try 3 thou feeler gauge ( This can be cut with scissors ) Note If your missus reads this I didn't suggest it

Roy

Ps  Never move a clock with the pendulum attatched

Edited By roy entwistle on 12/05/2016 16:29:32

[Rod NeepParticipant @rodneep80388]

Thanks… I ordered it from Cousins.

Thanks to you folks I will have preserved my wife's confidence in me as a genius who can mend anything

Rod

[Rod NeepParticipant @rodneep80388]

Just to report…. the clock lives!

…. and I have just heard that sometime during the next couple of weeks the cardiology specialists are going to do a similar, but rather more complex time-keeping operation on me. I am having a pacemaker/defibrillator unit fitted.

Cheers
Rod

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Congratulations, Rod

.. and my very best wishes for the cardiac work.

Do try to get an electronic unit ; I understand that the pendulum ones can make walking difficult

MichaelG.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Best wishes for the op., Rod.

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

I've made a few of these mainly for long case clocks & I use the spring that's at the end of a tape measure ie stanley or lufkin, I look after our towns turret clock [gillett & bland] & the suspension spring snapped about 15 yrs ago so I machined a new one from an old panel saw, I first bent the saw both ways & it went back straight so I knew it was good spring tempered steel & machined it down to the right thickness,making sure it was cut lengthways & it's been in ever since, when you think about it it swings millions of times each year.

Graham.

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

I have had about 40 years service from a bit of razor blade in a Vienna Regulator. The holes needed were punched over a piece of wood …

Cheers, Tim

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