Electric Clock-Motors - Caution

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, January, 1946

 Electric Clock-Motors - Caution

An article in your October issue has just come to our attention and in order to correct any false impressions which might be left with dealers and repair men we thought it well to give you our version on the subject in question. The particular item we have reference to is Contest Article No. 92, Page 39 and 40 which has reference to motor noises. The article states "Maybe some have had trouble with noises in Telechron or other sealed motors. One remedy is to drill a small hole in the motor, so it will be on top when the motor is in use. Then clean out, partly fill with a light oil; then seal the hole. This will· even help some motors that are frozen."

We do not recommend such a practice and have done everything possible to discourage it for a number of reasons. If a motor becomes noisy it is either due to the fact that the unit has lost its oil or that some parts have become worn in such a way as to cause noise. In either event we would replace such a unit here at the factory with a completely new one since we know from long experience that it is not practical to attempt to repair units which have failed for any reason. New oil will not correct mechanical difficulties caused by worn parts. Also when drilling a hole into the case shell it is entirely possible that some particles of the copper from the case will fall into the gear train and later become jammed between the small teeth of the gears and cause the unit to stop. It is true that units can be made to run for a little while by such treatment but the unit will stop due to the same reasons that it failed in the first place. The exchange price of a sealed rotor unit to a dealer or repair man would be 86 cents which includes the salvage allowance on the old unit, and it would certainly not be profitable to attempt to repair old units for this amount. Replacement units may be secured from any of our authorized service stations or from our factory.

Our rotor units are oiled during the process of manufacture with a definite quantity of oil sufficient to lubricate the gear train by capillary action. The units are afterwards sealed for life and no further oiling is necessary.