Chelsea Ship's Bell Clock Instructions - setting.

To answer several questions we receive, and to help those who have used Chelsea ship's bell clocks, Bellclocks is going to post instruction sections over the next few days, for that model. These instructions are taken (with permission) from the BellClocks.com Chelsea Ship's Bell Clock page.

The first installment is setting the clock:

SETTING THE HANDS:
Your ship's bell clock leaves the factory thoroughly tested and fully wound. First, remove the black tube from the winding arbor. (Save and replace tube when you are shipping the clock or away for a long period of time.) Next, move the minute hand clockwise to the correct time, stopping at the hour and half hour to allow the bells to strike their full count. The hour hand should not be touched during this operation.


The correct striking count may not develop at the first point when moving the hands forward to the correct setting time, this is normal, but will self correct at the next full hour count. DO NOT force the hands when setting the time. Should they lock at any point, simply move the minute hand backwards through one striking position and then forward to the correct time ensuring to stop at the hour and half-hour to allow the bells to strike the full count.

On the SHIP'S BELL clock, a "warn" occurs at 20 minutes past the hour and 10 minutes before the hour. This means that for 10 minutes prior to each striking point, the gears and levers of the striking mechanism fall into correct position. Thus it is advisable that whenever the striking clock is to be reset, the minute hand ONLY should be slowly rotated forward (clockwise) to the next striking point and then the clock allowed to strike its full count. Adjustments should never be made during a strike zone, only from 5 to 15 minutes past the hour or 25 to 15 minutes before the hour.

BellClocks a Division of
Windward Instruments.