WT Time setting handle balance weight

When a WT is running without any load it often happens that the time setting handle flops forwards to the bottom of its travel. Though the WT movement still performs perfectly there is a quite a long delay before the resetting impulse arrives. The long delay is irritating to the interested observer.  Who is usually waiting patiently for each tooth of the ratchet wheel to be gathered. So that the D-shaped pin finally lifts the gathering pawl out of the escape wheel teeth. Thus performing the vital "Waiting Train" action.

This "hic-cup" in normal operations is due to the unbalanced weight of the time setting handle and a lack of friction in the worm shaft.


I have discovered a very simple way to overcome the handle flopping forwards. One which requires no more than a pair of pliers and an ordinary British, mains plug, earth pin.

Remove the fixing nut from the D-shaped pin at the back of the ratchet wheel. Now replace the nut with the earth pin from your British mains plug. Tighten the earth pin gently onto the thread of the D-shaped pin with the pliers. The threads match perfectly on my own WT.


Now loosen and point the time setting handle away from the D-shaped pin before re-tightening onto the end of the worm shaft.

IMPORTANT: Now turn the time setting handle gently a few times. Just to ensure there are no obstructions to the plug earth pin on its circular travels between the ratchet wheel and worm. If you let the WT run with an obstruction it is so powerful that it may break something vital!


The earth pin counterweight will achieve sufficient balance to avoid the handle flopping forwards.

This simple balancing trick is ideal for the collector who has a WT running lightly. With no large clock hands, lead-off work or bevel gears to drive. It  will ensure each tooth of the ratchet wheel is gathered properly. The irritating flopping forwards of the time-setting handle will no longer occur. Which is very handy for the obsessive maker of WT videos and the avid clock watcher.  

The really fastidious may like to make a suitable counterweight which can be completely hidden behind the ratchet wheel. An old, UK 15A plug has a round earth pin probably more massive than the square pin type. A short length of brass rod with a suitable threaded hole might suit. Or even a more dense material than brass.


Just ensure that no obstruction can possibly occur between the new counterweight and the WT movement.

Keep the original D-shaped pin fixing nut somewhere safe in a polythene bag or pot. You may need it one day to restore originality

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