501 "Gothic Mantel Telechron"
SIZE:— 11 3/8 inches high,
8 1/2 inches wide, 5 1/2 inches
deep.
DIAL:— Etched Silver, 5 inches in diameter.
CASE:— Mahogany inlaid.
MOVEMENT:— Warren Synchronous Electric.
Collecting
Telechrons can be confusing! I have both clocks above labeled as
501s. 501 with auxiliary movement up there on the right.
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Telechron Refinishing tip #43:
'What the hey?!!?!' One night (probably long past your
bedtime, if you're like me), you're bound to come across a clock
you can't figure. One whose second hand moves but those other two
just sit there or won't keep time. You may even go as far to time
the second hand and find it making a cool 1 RPM. What's happening?
You probably noticed when you had it apart, the minute cannon is really
two gears riveted together. This is known as the clock's clutch.
One set of teeth will mesh with the time set knob. When setting the time,
you're trying to turn that wheel alot quicker that 1/60th RPM. You
overcome the embrace in which the two wheels are locked and the hands fly
around like crazy. If you've cleaned and oiled that gear too well,
there's no friction there at all and the hands will just loaf around letting
the second hand do all the work. Some minute wheels need a little
oil. (You'll know it because setting the time is hard and the minute
hand jerks around the dial five minutes at a time.) Some just need
to be cleaned and left alone. Remember, the only time there's any
friction between the two halves of the minute cannon is when you actually
set the time. After that, they should stay put. I've only ecountered
this problem with wall clocks but there's no reason it shouldn't happen
with any Telechron or GE model. Happy repairing!