# Bent Pivot On Escape Wheel Of Platform Escapement



## eds (Feb 10, 2015)

Hello

I have an unusual clock, simple in nature with a bent pivot on the escarpment.

The platform escarpment has its take off top side rather than underneath.

The escape wheel has a slightly bent pivot.

Can this be straightened by me carefully or can anyone name a person who likes mending these things.

The clock is unusual in that the main 8 inch dial is solely for the second hand whilst the hour and minutes are on a small 1.5 inch subsidiary. I thought it might be for a dark room where up to 60 seconds is an important measure.

I would like the thing to run again but can find no escapements that are of its style. The damage was done when the main spring let go. Some teeth have gone on the wheel adjoining the barrel. The setup is similar to a carriage clock. There is no strike.

Thanks for your help 

Ed


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Hi Ed, Sounds like an interesting clock, some pictures of the escapement would help 

Depending on the type of material the escapement is made of, usually very strong steel, then it may fracture when straightened, older steel wheels have a higher carbon content so they would be more malleable........... keep us up to date!


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## eds (Feb 10, 2015)

I don't know if this works but here are some attempted links.....

You will see that the minute hand has fallen off............ The clock is about 7 inches in diameter.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxyGpSSVs-RrQTdXdkZZNkJLdjQ/view?usp=sharing

The next link shows the movement, the damaged teeth are to be seen.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxyGpSSVs-RrU1JOMjFWcmdHbVE/view?usp=sharing

Finally, the escapment, you can just see the style of escape wheel, it is held between 2 holed jewels. The balance wheel sits in jewel cups.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxyGpSSVs-RrR2FxeFRFSUxjbkU/view?usp=sharing

I hope this works! I'll try again if it does not, maybe there is a proper way to upload pics. :huh:


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Hi Ed,

Thanks for uploading the pics, it's an interesting clock you have there........... The movement appears to be French in manufacturer. The escape wheel, being a cylinder design, requires the wheel itself to be absolutely true, if not it would not impulse the balance. It will take some very precise poising to get the escape wheel to run true, most likely outcome will for it to be replaced, the central pinion that is, the old wheel can be "driven off" and refitted to the new arbour.

The brass damaged wheel is also fairly difficult, one way to repair is to cut out the damaged teeth, find a wheel with a similar tooth module ( or spacing between teeth ) and cut those out of the good wheel and solder them in, or you could have a new wheel cut and fitted.

This makes you appreciate certain American pocket watches and some clocks which are marked "Safety Pinion" This is where the pinion meshing with the winding barrel is not part of the arbour, but is actually left hand threaded screwed onto the arbour ( depending on direction of normal rotation ) So in normal operation the pinion drives the main arbour, but if the mainsprings fails the "shock loading" causes the meshing pinion to spin in the opposite direction and simply unscrews itself from its own pinion and saves consequential damage to the rest of the train.

Clever those Americans........ All the best with the repairs! :yes:


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