1764 Aynesworth and Thwaites Tower clock

This is said to be one of the oldest "functioning" (meaning still in it's original location and working, not in a museum) in the United States. The clock and bells are from 1764! This clock is located in the tower of St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Charleston SC. I was able to visit the clock and spend a great deal of time looking over the clock, bells, motion works during a trip to Charleston. Currently the quarter chimes are not functioning, so I offered my services to repair, and hopefully I will be able to help the church get the clock chiming once again in the near future. It was restored approximately 15 years ago by Smith's of Derby in England. It is now equipped with auto winders, and runs flawlessly but is now coming back into need of some refurbishing. Wonderful clock!
This is a video of the clock striking at noon.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• St
• Michaels
• 12
• oclock

[towerclock1843]

That is exactly correct,

another aspect to consider is, if the chime or strike mechanisms didn't have the fly fan aka air brake, it would run violently fast and more than likely the chime and strike trains would explode. That actually happened to Big Ben in London in 1976 because one of the fly fan arbors broke in 1/2. That disaster took months to recover from.

[pennyf9]

why is their a c-clamp on the escapement axle? (is that what it is called?) you should look at that clock, it squeaks to much!

[towerclock1843]

Hi@pennyf9

The C-clamp is there to hold the verge in place, the set screw is stripped. And on the maintenance note, I now and have been the caretaker of this clock for the last few years and no more squeaks, this video is my first view of the clock. I actually have started restoration work on this clock and it will continue for several years to come.

[Champ1964]

sounds like it needs some grease on the bell strike lift cam..Great video..Nice to see what you can't normally see.

Champ

[towerclock1843]

Hi Champ,

They squeak and the lack of lubrication has been remedied since I took over the maintenance of the clock back first of the year. It was serviced very often, lucky if it was done once a year. The actual squeaking was from the bell hammer that was mounted directly about the movement on the next level.

And it is a awesome clock to see in person, video and pics just do not show the massiveness of the movement.

Thanks

[clockwise770]

Lovely clock mechanism but please oil the wheels and hammer . In England this clock would never have gotten as dry as this . Thanks for the video.

[towerclock1843]

Hi there again, the clock is back working without the squeaks. It is hard to manage with it being in a salt air environment. Also just found the "stopped clock" project website that is taking place there in England. Yeah....don't think this clock would be squeaking in England, because I don't believe it would still be running if it was there! ;o)

Anyhow, you ought to get involved in that project and see if you can help get some of the historic clocks running. Could be very simple repairs.

[deptfordboysSE8]

@Jm4steam

The fan or fly affects the time between the bells being struck. They can be adjusted to change the time between stricks.

Also they add an air of the dramatic to when a clock stricks.

[Jm4steam]

What exactly is the fan providing resistance for? What, on the clock mechanism overrun while striking?

[amsel2004]

Wunderbare Turmuhr*****)

[chena3]

love the c clamp..