The responses given here are written by and for hobbyists, not horologists, and reflect pragmatic real-life answers to some of the questions we are commonly asked. Please select the appropriate question to find an answer that hopefully helps you.
If you can’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to visit the About Workclocks page or email us at clockinfo@workclocks.co.uk and we will try to help where we can
Time recorders were built sturdily for heavy usage in an industrial environment, utilising solid oak and brass in their construction. Consequently, they have lasted many decades in the work environment and beyond. As the UK was historically a heavily industrialised nation with thousands of factories, a substantial number of time recorders remain today, effectively reducing the value of the more common models.
eBay is a good place to a get a feel for the prices that they can achieve. Use ‘time recorder’ as your search string under the category of ‘antiques’. You will see many time recorders advertised there with high ‘Buy it now’ prices but in reality, these are very seldom reached. Using the filters on the left of the screen, under the last section designated ‘Show only’, tick the ‘Sold items’ box. This will show you the prices actually achieved, giving you a better idea of current market value.
For most models of time recorders, the serial number gives the best indication of the date of manufacture. Where our research has found specific information for manufacturers relating serial numbers to dates (ITR and Gledhill-Brook), or found any other helpful information, it has been included on a ‘Dating’ page for that company.
You may be able to establish an approximate date of manufacture using information provided on this website, by finding dated photographs of a time recorder most similar in appearance to your own.
Original time recorder winding keys do turn up on eBay from time to time. There are many suitable substitute keys available – it is a simple task to source a cheap alternative on eBay.
Here are some that we have used on our machines:
There are no cards currently in print that will fit antique or vintage time recorders. Old stock does appear on eBay occasionally. If you can obtain a card, replicates can be made by scanning the original, printing this image in its actual size onto the heaviest card your printer will support, then trimming to the appropriate size.
Dimensions are not critical within a few millimetres. Some of the more common measurements are as follows:
Suspension springs can be sourced from several online clock parts suppliers. Alternatively, they may be self-fabricated from 0.15mm spring steel, available from the same suppliers of clock parts, and from other retailers.
The clock will require regulation after replacement of the suspension spring. This is the process of adjusting the pendulum bob weight using the knurled screw – clockwise to move the bob up if the clock loses time, or anticlockwise to move the bob down if the clock is gaining time. The process is iterative, with smaller and smaller adjustments required over a time. We recommend making only small adjustments and observing the effect of these over 24 hours before re-adjusting as appropriate.
Keys to the cabinet door were frequently separated from the time recorder, probably because they often remained in a drawer in the wages office when the clock was decommissioned. Many doors were subsequently prised open and a hasp fitted.
The locks and keys are no longer in production. Flat steel key blanks are available, and we have heard of people filing their own keys, but we have no direct experience of this.
Gledhill-Brook time recorders didn’t use flat steel keys, and replacement cabinet keys for these models are not currently obtainable.
Currently, we know of only one source for 1” black inked time recorder ribbon in the UK, available via the following retailer:
The Typewriter Man
You will need to manually wind any new ribbon onto your existing time recorder’s bobbins, as they are supplied on incompatible plastic spools.
Most time recorder manufacturers and their distributors sought to gain ongoing revenue by establishing service and maintenance contracts with their customers. If service manuals had been released, they could have been used by third parties to compete against the manufacturer or distributor for these lucrative contracts. Naturally, this was not a preferred option for the manufacturer. No doubt there existed internal engineering notes for manufacture and service, but to date, none have surfaced.
There is an exception to this for some ITR models. This is because they subsequently became IBM, and some of the ITR installation and setup notes were retained in the IBM historical archive. These documents are available via the ITR Documents section of the WorkClocks site, and further information on IBM’s archives can be found on the Links page.
There are 1001 reasons why your time recorder may not be working. Assuming it is in a generally good condition, some of the more common reasons a newly acquired or existing clock may not be working are as follows:
Broken suspension spring – this is the spring steel leaf spring which the pendulum is suspended from, and which allows it to swing. For troubleshooting, please see the question about broken suspension springs above.
The crutch wire is not located in the slot in the pendulum stick – the crutch wire is attached to the escapement and provides impetus to the pendulum to keep it swinging. For Fusee movements, the equivalent scenario is that the pendulum is not located in the crutch fork.
Alignment – if the time recorder has been transported or re-located recently, use a spirit level on its side and front, and adjust its position to ensure that the machine is perfectly level.
Dust, dirt, and oil in the clock mechanism can accumulate and generate enough friction to stop the clock. For troubleshooting, please see the question below on cleaning of mechanisms.
Ideally, the clock mechanism should be completely stripped, cleaned, and reassembled, but this should only be carried out by a competent clock repairer using the correct tools. Time recorder mainsprings are very powerful and can cause serious injury if released without control. We understand, however, that this may not be practical or viable for a variety of reasons.
A good second option is to clean the complete assembled mechanism in a solvent bath with a soft paintbrush. Although not ideal, it will help considerably. White spirit will do the job, and there are professional clock cleaning fluids (such as Horolene) which will provide a bright finish to the brass, although these are considerably more expensive. Let the solvent dry, then using a darning needle, apply some clock oil to the pivot points. The pivot points are where the pivot shafts enter the brass facings. Always apply oil sparingly, and never oil the gear teeth.
To clean a time stamp mechanism, first remove the ink ribbon from the mechanism, then clean and oil as above.
To set the correct day, you can simply advance the clock hands further until the day or 12-hour (a.m./p.m.) period matches the current day or period. Alternatively, advance the days on the stamping mechanism by repeatedly moving the lever or lift button associated with day advance. These will be different for each manufacturer. NTR and Blick time recorders have a lever at the top of the dial fascia which will advance the day display drum and stamp mechanism. ITR recorders have a day lift button, or day lever (dependent on age and model) on the top of the time stamp mechanism. Gledhill-Brook recorders have a lever at the top right of the mechanism, sometimes with a push wire, which can be operated to advance the day stamp wheel.
We are certain most competent clock repairers would be able to service your time recorder.
There is a company in Braintree, Essex which has advertised the fact that they have repaired a time recorder. We have not used their services, so can neither recommend nor comment otherwise. Further information can be found via their website: Braintree Clock Repairs
This website is dedicated to mechanically-driven (clockwork) recorders only. While we do have a little knowledge of the various electrical systems employed by manufacturers to drive their time recorders (either by DC pulses from a master clock, or directly by an AC motor), we strongly advise that a qualified electrician is employed to carry out any work or consulted before any electrical connection is made.
Further resources and information regarding electrical clock systems can be found via the Links page of this website.