Moving a pendulum clock around the house, ( preparations for transport, later ) In a mantel- or wall clock without weights you can just stop the pendulum by hand or by picking it up a mantel clock, tilt it a little backwards or towards you so that the pendulum does not start swinging whilst you are carrying the clock. The pendulum will actually rest on the inside back of the clock or touch the gong or movement. Keep the clock horizontal and as steady as possible. With this precaution you will most likely not upset the beat. As an even tic-tock is very important to all pendulum clocks, here are some hints:
Any clock should hang or sit straight and firmly on it’s surface. Mantel- and Grandfather clocks can be wedged up, old wall clocks often have two pointed screws at the lower sides of the casing to press against the wall.
A wobble might dissipate the power of the pendulum swing and ultimately could stop it. An uneven beat can do the same.
The latter fault theoretically could be corrected by hanging a wall clock out of it’s vertical position on the wall or wedging up a mantel clock on either the left or right. But then one has two wrongs making it seemingly correct. A clock with a "limp" set up out of vertical would make it tick evenly.
The newer pendulum clocks ( since about 1980 ) have an automatic beat adjustment. There you have to let the pendulum swing a wide arc, which will settle down and come (more or less) to an even beat within a minute or two.
After a move it is often necessary to determine whether the pendulum still ticks evenly. With older clocks you should swing the pendulum as little as possible, but enough to let it tick over. With a powerful swing, you might not detect any un-evenness. If you do hear a "limping" you will have to correct the beat.
I cannot describe all the different adjustment facilities provided by the manufacturers. Basically a correction of the angle between anchor rod and anchor is needed. ( see illustrations at the end of this article. )
Illustration 1: could be the anchor of a Mantel- or Grandfather clock A= Anchor with the 2 pallets, B = Anchor rod with fork (or closed) leading the pendulum , C = turning point of Anchor on axle (often used in mantel clocks) In a mantel clock where the Anchor can move on the axle, one adjusts the beat by leading the Anchor rod to it's normal stop left or right and then presses a little further. When left or right? When the tick is uneven (limps) to the right (looking from the front position) press the anchor rod in the same direction.
In old Grandfather- or other clocks, where the Anchor rod is firmly fixed to the axle, bend the rod a little about in the middle of the rod. Press with one finger at either side, arrows position, and with your free hand apply leverage at the bottom of the anchor rod. You press bottom part left if the limp is to the left and vice versa.
You might have to do this adjustment probably a few times, before the beat is even.
Illustration 2 is the pendulum suspension of a modern, pre. 1980 grandfather clock. Similar fine adjustment devices were made for clocks even from the early 20thcentury. These are still the best today for precise setting and not difficult to handle by the end user.
You listen to the (uneven) beat, then turn screw A very little, moving the lever on the turning point C, which simulates changing angles between Anchor and Anchor rod. Pin B is connected to the Anchor rod (instead of a "fork").
Illustration 3 shows part of the Anchor rod of an old Wall regulator clock. Here the pin B can be moved left or right by the turning screws A.
Thomas Niemeyer, May 2008
