What can happen when a Clock Mainspring breaks?
Knowledge Base
Clock Mainspring Break Damage
When a mainspring breaks within a clock movement, it could cause damage. The damage could be within the movement itself or to the clock case. It is uncommon but sometimes even the sides of the wood case get damaged when a mainspring breaks.
As for the movement itself, we need to check the gear teeth and the gear arbors. The damage will be on the lower part of the gear train if anywhere. The teeth of the gear that the mainspring is on, its a good place to start. The next gear up is also a frequent damage area. As you go up in the gear train, to the smaller wheels, damage is unlikely. The force of the breaking impact happens in the lower wheels, typically the main wheel and the next one up.
Lantern pinions are the type of gear that is made of vertical wires instead of teeth. It would be the smaller side of the two intersecting gears and would be going up the train not down. The vertical wires within the circular brass bushings act as teeth instead of having a gear. The advantage is the wire will spin within the bushings and thus decreasing friction and wear. Not all clocks have lantern pinions, this would apply to some antique American time strike units only.
If the clock has lantern pinions it is possible that some pins have bent or broken off completely. It would happen on the next wheel up from the mainspring gear, or main wheel you could call it. The impact of the main wheel from the break jolts the next wheel up with such force the pinion cant withstand the impact often. These are not so easy to repair if the pin breaks, it requires the removal of the pinion and also the pinion dismantled to restore it. The gear or wheel you could say, comes out, the pinion removed via staking set. This is repaired with the same steel rod size to make perfect again. If the pin is just bent sometimes it can be straightened again with needle nose pliers for a quick fix.
Damage assessment to the arbor of the next wheel up from the main wheel is also something to check. Often it will be bent from the impact of the mainspring breaking and would need to be straightened again if possible. Best to remove it and roll the arbor's long side on the table and see if it rolls straight. Also and just as important check the skinny ends of the arbor known as the pivots. These are the skinny ends of the arbor that stick into the movements outer main brass plates. If these are bent, the clock will not run. They need to be straight or the clock will have too much resistance in the gear train for the clock to function under the power of the new mainspring.
Lastly inspect the teeth of the gears on both the main wheel where the spring was attached, and the next wheel up. Bent teeth are common but not as easy to correct. Bending back and reshaping them with a needle file sometimes works, other times the wheel needs a chunk cut out and replaced with new teeth or dentures you could say i guess, soldered in place.
Be sure you can get the movement out with no further damage to the clock case. Check the condition of the case to be sure it does not need attention. It may need to be reglued or nailed together more secure as the impact of the spring breaking could loosen the boards.
If this is not in the realm of your interest in learning about and experimenting with, please send us the movement instead. We will take care of everything for a fee. Please email a pic of what is going on to [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection) so we can quote.
The content of this website is copyright by Clockworks and written by James Stoudenmire in year 2020
Last Updated: 2 months ago in
Clock Mainspring Break Damage
Article sections
Clock Mainspring Break - Damage Assessment
When a mainspring breaks within a clock movement, it could cause damage. The damage could be within the movement itself or to the clock case. It is uncommon but sometimes even the sides of the wood case get damaged when a mainspring breaks.
The German movement
As for the movement itself, we need to check the gear teeth and the gear arbors. The damage will be on the lower part of the gear train if anywhere. The teeth of the gear that the mainspring is on, its a good place to start. The next gear up is also a frequent damage area. As you go up in the gear train, to the smaller wheels, damage is unlikely. The force of the breaking impact happens in the lower wheels, typically the main wheel and the next one up.
Antiques with lantern pinions
Lantern pinions are the type of gear that is made of vertical wires instead of teeth. It would be the smaller side of the two intersecting gears and would be going up the train not down. The vertical wires within the circular brass bushings act as teeth instead of having a gear. The advantage is the wire will spin within the bushings and thus decreasing friction and wear. Not all clocks have lantern pinions, this would apply to some antique American time strike units only.
Lantern pinion damage check
If the clock has lantern pinions it is possible that some pins have bent or broken off completely. It would happen on the next wheel up from the mainspring gear, or main wheel you could call it. The impact of the main wheel from the break jolts the next wheel up with such force the pinion cant withstand the impact often. These are not so easy to repair if the pin breaks, it requires the removal of the pinion and also the pinion dismantled to restore it. The gear or wheel you could say, comes out, the pinion removed via staking set. This is repaired with the same steel rod size to make perfect again. If the pin is just bent sometimes it can be straightened again with needle nose pliers for a quick fix.
Checking arbors and pivots
Damage assessment to the arbor of the next wheel up from the main wheel is also something to check. Often it will be bent from the impact of the mainspring breaking and would need to be straightened again if possible. Best to remove it and roll the arbor's long side on the table and see if it rolls straight. Also and just as important check the skinny ends of the arbor known as the pivots. These are the skinny ends of the arbor that stick into the movements outer main brass plates. If these are bent, the clock will not run. They need to be straight or the clock will have too much resistance in the gear train for the clock to function under the power of the new mainspring.
The teeth of the gear wheels
Lastly inspect the teeth of the gears on both the main wheel where the spring was attached, and the next wheel up. Bent teeth are common but not as easy to correct. Bending back and reshaping them with a needle file sometimes works, other times the wheel needs a chunk cut out and replaced with new teeth or dentures you could say i guess, soldered in place.
Wooden clock case inspection
Be sure you can get the movement out with no further damage to the clock case. Check the condition of the case to be sure it does not need attention. It may need to be reglued or nailed together more secure as the impact of the spring breaking could loosen the boards.
To much information
If this is not in the realm of your interest in learning about and experimenting with, please send us the movement instead. We will take care of everything for a fee. Please email a pic of what is going on to [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection) so we can quote.
The content of this website is copyright by Clockworks and written by James Stoudenmire in year 2020
Last Updated: 2 months ago in
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Updated on: 05/08/2022
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