We have a grand-daughter clock (ie like a grandfather but only about 4 feet high) which used to run OK but only runs for a short time since we moved house. It was transported horizontally on its back.
The tick sounds as if it is limping - instead of a regular, evenly-spaced tick-tock, the tick is shorter than the tock, if you see what I mean. Each time we nudge the pendulum, it runs for a few minutes, initially with the tick sounding regular but as time goes on it gets fainter and more lopsided until it stops altogether. I think the amplitude of the pendulum is gradually getting less, to the point where it won't operate the escapement even though it continues to swing for a little while after the ticking stops.
My inclination would be that the pendulum isn't getting the impulse from the escapement, or not the correct one.
The escapement does two things, it allows the gear train to move under the control of the pendulum in this case, and provides an impulse to keep the pendulum swinging. A 'bad tick' usually means the escapement isn't functioning correctly. An experience horologist can tell a lot from a tick (not me I hasn't to add).
The first thing to check is that the clock is vertical, so the 'swing' is 'even' either side the point of suspension. Also check the winding mechanism - although you've probably done that. If it is weight driven, are they free to drop, ie not snagged, touching anything.
Being 'over wound' is a possibility, I've seen ordinary clocks get jammed. You can release the main spring but it takes care and really isn't something to try unless you know how. You need to do it in a controlled way.
It has springs: one for the chiming mechanism (designed to chime hours but not quarters) and one for the pendulum. Both are almost fully wound.
As far as I can tell, the clock is vertical in two planes (side-side and front-back).
Time to find a horologist and get them to look at it. It's about 5 years since I last had it serviced, after which it ran perfectly until I moved it temporarily while we cleaned the carpets (taking care to remove the pendulum first) when it's been difficult to set it a happy medium between too slow and too fast. Moving house was the final straw, it seems.
We had a problem with a clock which packed up following a move although, having established the cause, it would have stopped anyway, even if it hadn't been moved.
It wasn't the best quality movement and the constant lateral force imposed on the mainspring's spindle by the spring itself had caused one end to wear the unbushed hole in the frame into a slot. This upset the gear meshing sufficiently to stop it. It was, of course, beyond repair as there seemed no point in paying a fortune to someone to bush the hole somehow.
From your description of the uneven tick-tock, however, I think it is almost certainly that the pendulum mounting got disturbed during the move.
Firast get a spirit level and ensure the cabinet is vertical from side to side. It might then be easier to put the clock on a surface where you can get to the back, again ensuring that the case is vertical.
Watch the pendulum to see which side has the smaller degree of movement then grasp the pendulum support and move it in the opposite direction until it stops. Now apply further force as there is a friction clutch incorporated into the pivot. Move the pendulum a small amount, then start the clock again and see what happens.
Repeat as necessary until the clock ticks evenly, then replace the clock in its designated place.
The clock I was talking about was only about 2 feet high and wall mounted so I checked it was hanging upright with the spirit level and made a pencil mark on the wall corresponding to the bottom of one side. Not normally visible unless you were looking for it, it was easy to check if the clock had been disturbed and reset it if necessary.
When I was a child we had a traditional mantlepiece clock which always had to have a small piece if thin plywood under the left hand feet to ensure it didn't keep stopping. Neither my mother nor I knew anything about the friction clutch on the pendulum until long after both she and the clock were dead!
I presume all the weights and delicate components were dismounted first?
I doubt if it will react well to being tipped over with the pendulum still in position. Check the pivots for any damage.
For whatever reason the mechanism that puts energy into the pendulum when it has lost a certain amount of amplitude is not triggering. This may be because it hasn't been put together quite right so that there is excessive friction or that some part is now stuck. If you watch it carefully you should see the mechanism that puts energy back into the pendulum try to do its thing while the pendulum is still swinging evenly. Finding a clock mechanism online that looks like yours might be one way or show us a picture and the components can be pointed out.
I have a Victorian chiming mantle clock which needs a service too. Keeps on stopping. Did a Google for a local place who still repaired clocks, and on the phone they quoted 200 quid.
Think I'll have to find out how to DIY a clean and oil. ;-)
You might find that a hobbist clock repairer is a bit cheaper, but perhaps not. I had an Edwardian Bracket Clock (retirement present to my great-grandfather) cleaned and overhauled. The work cost £650 - 5 years ago.
It may be it shouldn't be (quite) vertical front-to-back. Ours does Westminster chimes, and if it were exactly vertical then the pendulum would foul the set of rods that the hammers biff to do the chimes.
Ours started doing that after we had the walls papered, because when I put the screw back in the wall that it hangs from, I screwed it too far in.
Based on your information your clock is out of the vertical orienation it had when previously sited. It only needs the pendulum part re-aligned to the new location. To check this get some thin pieces of card and place under the right or left side and listen to the `tick/tock` it should be evenly balanced. adjust the cardboard `wedges` until you get an even tick/tock. You can then leave as is or adjust the pendulum to achieve the same.
It could be a fall of muck or a dodgy bearing or a loose escapement which has slid onto a part of a spindle where it has too much resistance. Lots of things could cause this, sadly, how old is it? Brian
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