Both quail and cuckoo trains are set up very simply and surely by observing the following points: In the quail train, when the quail bellows lever, H, is just released from a pin in the pin wheel, O, the locking lever, F, must just fall into the slot of the locking cam, B; the warning pin should then be near the fly pinion and the count hook, K, drop freely into the count wheel, A.
Fig. 102. Rear View of Quail and Cuckoo Movement.
On the cuckoo side we find two levers, X; the upper one of these operates the low note of the cuckoo call and the lower one the high note. When this upper lever is released from a pin in the pin wheel, the cuckoo locking lever, S, must drop into its locking cam, U, and the count hook, T, drop into its count wheel, while the warning pin must be near the fly pinion. After the run has stopped and the trains are fully locked the warning pins will be as shown in [Fig. 102]; but at the moment of locking they should be as described above.
The operation is as follows: Turning to [Fig. 101], we find the minute wheel, C, has four pins projecting from its rear surface. This revolves once per hour and consequently the pins raise the lifting lever, D, every fifteen minutes. Here is a point that frequently is productive of trouble. The reader will readily see that if the hands of a cuckoo are turned backward the pins in the minute wheel will bend this wire, D, and derange the striking, as the warning lever is also attached to the same arbor. Never push the hands backward on a cuckoo clock; always push them forward. If the striking and hands do not register the same time, take off the weights of the striking trains; then push the hands forward until they register the hour which the trains struck last. As there is no power on the trains they will not be operated, the only action being the rising and falling of the lever, D, as the pins pass. When the hands point to the hour last struck by the trains, put on the striking weights again and push the hands forward, allowing time for each striking, until the clock has been set to the correct time.
Upon the lifting lever, D, being raised sufficiently the warning lever, E, on the same arbor is lifted into the path of the warning pin and at the same time unlocks the train by pressing against the lifting pin, L, in the locking lever, F. The locking lever, F, count hook, K, and the bird holder lever, M, are all on the same arbor and therefore work in unison. When D drops, E releases the warning pin and the train starts. The pin wheel has pins on both sides, the rear pins operate the gong hammer, N, J; the front pins operate the quail bellows, I, H. The rising, and falling of the unlocking lever, F, operates the bird holder, G, through M and the wire in the bellows top tilts the tail of the bird and flutters the wings. When the fourth quarter has been struck, the pins shown in the quail count wheel, A, operate the hour lifting lever, P, and the action of that train becomes similar to that of the quarter train just described, with the difference that there are two bellows levers, X, for the high and low notes of the cuckoo, whereas there is but one for the quail.
There are several adjustments necessary to watch on these clocks. The wires to operate the bellows from the levers X and H may be so long that the bellows when stretched to its full capacity may not allow the tails of X and H to clear the pins of the pin wheels and thus stop the trains. The pins should clear safely with the bellows fully opened. The levers M and S¹, which operate the bird holders, G and Z, may be turned in their arbors so as to be farther from or closer to the bird holder; this regulates the opening and closing of the doors and the appearance of the birds; if there is too much movement the birds may be sent so far out that they will not return, but will stay out and stop the trains. Moving S¹ and M towards the bird holders, Z and G, will lessen the amount of this motion and the contrary movement will increase it.
Another important source of trouble—because generally unsuspected—is the fly. The fly on a cuckoo train must be tight; a loose fly will cause too rapid striking and allow the train to overrun, making wrong striking, or in a very bad case it will not stop until run down. When this happens turn your attention to the fly and make sure that it is tight before doing any bending of the levers, and also see to the position of the warning pin.
Sometimes the front of the case (which is also the dial) will warp and cause pressure on the ends of the lever arbors and thus interfere with their proper working. Be sure that the arbors are free at both ends.