Westminster Chime Clock Playing Wrong Notes: Chime Drum Alignment and Sequence Repair

A Westminster chime clock that plays the correct number of notes at each quarter hour but in the wrong sequence — or a clock where the hammer sequence sounds recognizable but one hammer consistently strikes at the wrong moment or not at all — has a chime drum that is out of phase with the hammer arrangement. The drum's position relative to the drive train has shifted from its original factory setting, either because the set screw or friction coupling that locks the drum wheel in its correct rotational position has come loose, because someone has previously adjusted the drum incorrectly, or because the circlip or retaining collar that sets the middle wheel's angular position has been disturbed during service. Unlike many clock repair problems where the cause is worn components, incorrect chime note sequence is almost always a position problem — everything is mechanically sound, but a specific wheel or drum has been allowed to rotate to an incorrect phase relative to the correct musical reference position. Understanding what the correct reference position is, and how to rotate the drum to reach it, is the entire solution.

This guide covers the complete chime drum alignment process for Westminster chime movements — how the chime drum's pin arrangement produces the specific note sequence at each quarter, what the 1/4 and 3/4 hour positions mean as alignment references and why they are the easiest positions to use for correction, how to identify and loosen the set screw or remove the circlip that allows the drum wheel to be repositioned, how to manually rotate the drum or lower barrel wheel while listening for the correct four-descending-note sequence that identifies the alignment point, how to verify the correction is correct before retightening, how the gathering pallet's stopping position affects whether the hour strike begins at the right moment relative to the end of the fourth-quarter chime, and why WD-40 and silicone oil are not appropriate clock lubricants and what the long-term consequences of their use are. Whether you are working on a Kienzle, Hermle, Kieninger, or another German Westminster chime movement, the chime drum alignment principles are the same.

How the Westminster Chime Sequence Works

The Pin Arrangement on the Chime Drum

The chime drum — the cylindrical component covered with pins that lift the hammer tails to produce the chime notes — is programmed with the Westminster melody through the precise angular and axial positions of its pins. Each pin lifts one specific hammer as the drum rotates, and the sequence of pins along the drum's circumference produces the four distinct note patterns played at each quarter hour. The first quarter plays four notes, the second quarter plays eight notes, the third quarter plays twelve notes, and the fourth quarter before the hour plays sixteen notes that include the complete Westminster melody in its final form, followed by the hour strike train releasing to produce the correct count on the gong or bell. Because the pin arrangement is fixed in the drum, the only way to change which hammer is lifted at any given moment in the sequence is to change the drum's rotational position relative to the hammer arrangement — which is what the set screw or friction coupling allows.

The correct alignment exists when the drum is in the specific rotational position where the first pin to be encountered by the hammer tails as the drum begins rotating produces the first note of the first quarter sequence in the correct pitch. The Westminster sequence at the first quarter is a four-note ascending figure; at the second quarter an eight-note figure; at the third quarter a twelve-note figure that ends with the same four-note descending pattern as the end of the first quarter; and at the fourth quarter the full sixteen-note Westminster tune ending with the same four-note descending pattern. This repetition of the four-note descending pattern at the end of both the first and third quarters provides the alignment reference — finding the position where four hammers lift in descending pitch sequence simultaneously, which occurs twice per drum rotation at the first and third quarter positions, identifies the correct alignment.

Recognizing an Out-of-Phase Chime Drum

A chime drum that has rotated away from its correct phase position will play notes in the wrong sequence at every quarter hour — the notes may be recognizable as the Westminster melody pitches but in the wrong order, or the count of notes at each quarter may be correct but the notes heard sound like the middle of the melody rather than the beginning. A common symptom is the clock playing what sounds like the second or third quarter sequence when the minute hand points to the first quarter position, and playing the fourth quarter sequence at the second quarter position — the entire melody is present but it is starting in the wrong place in its cycle relative to the hand positions. Another common symptom is a hammer that does not fall after being raised — the pin has lifted the hammer tail but the hammer falls at the wrong moment in the sequence, producing a note that seems out of place or missing entirely from the expected sequence.

An important diagnostic distinction: if the notes are played in the correct sequence but the clock plays the wrong number of notes at a given quarter — for example, playing only three notes at a quarter position that should have four — the problem is not drum alignment but either a stuck hammer, a missing or bent pin on the drum, or a chime sequence cam that is not stopping the chime train at the correct position. Drum alignment correction addresses wrong sequence, not wrong count. Verify which symptom is actually present before proceeding to the drum alignment correction, because the two problems have different causes and different solutions.

Locating and Loosening the Set Screw or Circlip

Finding the Drum Wheel Retaining Mechanism

The chime drum is driven by a wheel — typically called the chime barrel wheel or the lower drum wheel — whose angular position relative to the drum can be adjusted by loosening the retaining mechanism. On most German Westminster chime movements, this retaining mechanism is either one or two small set screws visible on the hub of the drum wheel, a friction coupling similar to a cannon pinion, or a circlip on the middle wheel of the chime train. The set screws are most common and are easiest to work with — they are small headed screws that can be loosened with a fine screwdriver, allowing the drum wheel to be rotated freely relative to the drum until the correct position is found, at which point the screws are tightened again to lock the new position.

When the set screws are present but have become loose through vibration over years of service — or were never properly tightened after a previous adjustment — the drum will gradually drift out of its correct position as the chime train runs, producing the sequence errors described above. Loose set screws are both a common cause of chime sequence problems and an easy diagnostic indicator: if the drum wheel can be rotated with moderate finger pressure rather than requiring deliberate loosening of a retaining screw, the set screws are too loose and the drum has been free to slip. Inspect the set screws first whenever investigating a wrong sequence complaint, before performing any rotational correction, because simply tightening loose screws may restore the correct position if the drum has not yet slipped far from its original setting.

Removing the Circlip on the Middle Wheel

On some Westminster chime movements, particularly certain Kienzle and similar German designs, the chime drum position is adjusted by removing the circlip that retains the middle wheel of the chime train and rotating the bottom barrel wheel relative to the drum while the middle wheel is removed. This approach requires slightly more disassembly than the set screw method but provides full access to the drum and barrel wheel for rotation and alignment. After removing the circlip, the middle wheel can be lifted clear of its arbor, and the lower barrel wheel — which drives the pins that lift the hammers — can be rotated freely by hand. The correct position is identified by rotating the barrel wheel until the hammer lift sequence produces four consecutive descending notes, then replacing the middle wheel and circlip to lock the position.

The circlip method has the advantage of completely decoupling the drum from the drive train during adjustment, allowing the drum to be rotated freely without any resistance from the mainspring or weights. The set screw method requires the clock to be partially let down to remove spring tension before the set screws are loosened, otherwise the drive train pressure makes the drum wheel difficult to rotate even with the screws loosened. For either method, ensure that all spring or weight tension is released from the chime train before loosening any retaining mechanism — attempting to rotate a drum under full spring tension risks damaging the chime train or jumping the movement in an uncontrolled way.

Finding the Correct Alignment Position

Using the First or Third Quarter as the Reference

The most reliable reference position for chime drum alignment is the first quarter sequence — the four-note ascending pattern that plays when the minute hand points to fifteen minutes past the hour. The last four notes of this sequence, and equivalently the last four notes of the third quarter sequence, are the same four-note descending passage. By rotating the drum to the position where four consecutive pins lift four consecutive hammers in descending pitch order — highest note first, lowest note last — you have found the alignment position that corresponds to the end of the first or third quarter. Setting the drum in this position, and then advancing the minute hand to confirm that the correct sequence plays at the first quarter when the hand reaches fifteen minutes, verifies that the alignment is correct before retightening the set screws.

The practical method for finding this alignment position is to rotate the drum wheel slowly by hand while listening to the hammer lifts, and stop when you hear or observe four consecutive hammers lifting in descending pitch sequence. If you cannot easily hear the pitch difference between hammers, observe the physical hammer arrangement — on most Westminster movements the hammers are arranged so that the longest hammer produces the lowest note. Watching for the moment when four consecutive pins lift hammers in order from shortest to longest — smallest to largest hammer, corresponding to descending pitches — identifies the alignment reference. This same sequence occurs twice per drum rotation, at the positions corresponding to the end of the first quarter and the end of the third quarter. Either position can be used as the alignment reference.

Verifying the Alignment Before Retightening

After positioning the drum at the alignment reference, advance the minute hand slowly to the first quarter position — fifteen minutes past the hour — and observe the chime sequence that fires. The notes should be in the correct Westminster ascending sequence for the first quarter. If the notes are correct, advance the hand to the half hour and verify eight notes in the correct sequence, then to three-quarters and sixteen notes, then to the hour and the full Westminster melody followed by the hour strike. All four quarter positions must produce correct sequences before retightening the set screws. A drum that produces correct notes at the first quarter but wrong notes at the third quarter has been positioned at the equivalent alignment reference from the second of the two alignment positions — the drum needs to be advanced by sixteen notes (half a drum rotation) to reach the other alignment reference, which will produce correct sequences at all four positions rather than just the first.

If the chime control cam — the cam that determines how many notes play at each quarter position by stopping the chime train at the correct point — is not correctly synchronized with the minute hand position, the clock may play the right note sequence but stop too early at some quarters and too late at others. This cam synchronization problem is distinct from the drum alignment problem and requires its own correction: the cam must be adjusted so that the chime train stops precisely at the sixteen-note position when the minute hand reaches the hour, eight notes at the half hour, and so on. Both the drum alignment and the cam synchronization must be correct simultaneously for the chime to sound complete and correct at all four quarter positions.

The Gathering Pallet and Strike Start Timing

Why the Strike Begins Too Early

The hour strike — the gong count that follows the fourth-quarter chime melody — must begin precisely at the moment the last note of the fourth-quarter chime is completed, not before. If the strike train begins releasing its warning before the chime has finished its sixteenth note, the warning motion will lift the chime hammers into an elevated position, preventing the last chime note from sounding as the hammer cannot fall back to the chime rod while it is held up by the warning mechanism. The result is the characteristic symptom of the chime sounding three notes instead of four at the end of the fourth quarter — the last note is missed because the hammer is already raised by the strike warning before the pin can actuate it normally. This is not a drum alignment problem but a gathering pallet phase problem: the gathering pallet's stopped position determines when the warning motion begins, and if the pallet is stopping too late in its rotation, the warning begins too early and interferes with the final chime notes.

The gathering pallet stops the strike train at the end of each hour count by engaging the warning mechanism. The angular position at which it stops determines how far in advance of the next hour the warning motion begins. If the pallet is in a position where it stops the train slightly later than intended — allowing the train to advance slightly further before locking — the warning motion begins proportionally earlier, encroaching on the time the chime train needs to complete its final notes. Correcting this requires rotating the gathering pallet to a position where the train locks slightly earlier, which in turn delays the warning start by the corresponding amount. On most Westminster movements, the gathering pallet can be adjusted by repositioning it on its square arbor after loosening or pressing it free.

Distinguishing Strike Timing from Drum Alignment Problems

The diagnostic distinction between a drum alignment problem and a gathering pallet timing problem is the location of the wrong note behavior: if notes are wrong at all four quarters including the first, the drum alignment is the cause. If notes are correct at the first, second, and third quarters but the fourth quarter is missing its final note, the gathering pallet timing is the cause. A complete systematic diagnosis checks both: first verify that all four quarters play in the correct note sequence with the drum alignment correct, then verify that the fourth quarter's final notes are not being cut off by premature strike warning, and correct the gathering pallet position if they are. These two problems can coexist and must both be addressed for the chime to sound fully correct at all positions through the complete hour cycle.

Westminster Chime Note and Hammer Arrangement

The Four Westminster Notes and Their Hammers

The Westminster chime melody uses four pitches — labeled by convention as E, G-sharp, F-sharp, and B on most standard Westminster tuned rod sets — and the four hammers in the chime train are each tuned to produce one of these pitches when they strike their respective chime rods or gongs. The hammers are not necessarily arranged in pitch order from left to right or from long to short — the physical arrangement varies by manufacturer and by case design, as the hammer positions are determined by the relative placement of the chime rods in the case rather than by an ascending or descending pitch order. When attempting to identify the correct drum alignment by the descending four-note sequence, listen for the pitch relationship rather than looking for the hammers to be arranged in any particular order.

The four descending notes at the end of the first and third quarter Westminster sequence are B, F-sharp, G-sharp, E — the same four pitches as the entire first quarter sequence, played in reverse order. Recognizing this pattern by ear allows the alignment position to be found without prior knowledge of which hammer corresponds to which pitch. Rotate the drum until four consecutive hammer lifts produce a sequence where each note is lower in pitch than the previous one — when this is heard, the drum is at or very near the alignment position. Fine adjustment by advancing the drum one pin position at a time will confirm or correct the exact alignment.

Chime Rod and Hammer Drop Problems

A hammer that is raised by the drum pin but does not fall cleanly to strike the chime rod — remaining elevated or dropping sluggishly — produces a muted or missing note regardless of whether the drum alignment is correct. This problem is distinct from drum alignment and requires its own investigation: check the hammer tail for any burr or damage at the pin contact point that might cause it to stick against the pin rather than dropping freely when the pin passes, check the hammer pivot for sticky old oil that has increased the friction enough to prevent gravity-driven drop, and verify that the hammer spring or return spring — if present — has not broken or lost its tension. A hammer that rises correctly but does not fall is always a friction or spring problem at that hammer rather than a drum alignment problem, and correcting the drum alignment will not make this hammer sound its note correctly.

Clock Lubricants: Why WD-40 and Silicone Oil Are Unsuitable

WD-40 and Its Long-Term Consequences

WD-40 is a water-displacing spray originally formulated as a solvent and corrosion inhibitor, not as a lubricant. It contains light petroleum solvents that evaporate relatively quickly after application, leaving behind a light oily residue that provides minimal lubrication and attracts dust and debris. In a clock movement, WD-40 applied to pivot holes will temporarily reduce friction as the solvent component disperses any old dry lubricant, which explains why a clock treated with WD-40 often appears to run better for a short period after treatment. However, as the solvent evaporates and the remaining residue ages, it combines with the dust it has attracted to form a gummy paste that significantly increases friction at every pivot hole where it was applied. A clock treated with WD-40 and running acceptably for the first month or two will typically become progressively worse over the following six to twelve months as this gummy contamination builds up, eventually stopping or running very erratically. The appropriate response is to disassemble the movement completely, clean all components in appropriate clock cleaning solution to remove the WD-40 residue, and lubricate correctly with proper clock oil and mainspring grease.

The urgency of this cleaning increases with the amount of WD-40 applied. A light mist that drifts onto the movement during a nearby application will cause problems but take longer to manifest than a direct application inside the pivot holes intended as a lubricant. A clock that was treated as described — sprayed directly with WD-40 intended as a lubricant and then lubricated with silicone oil — has received two layers of inappropriate treatment that will progressively contaminate the pivot holes and eventually require complete cleaning to resolve. The fact that the clock runs now is not a reliable indicator that it will continue to run — clock pivot holes treated with WD-40 typically deteriorate over a period of months rather than immediately, giving a false impression that the treatment was harmless.

Why Silicone Oil Is Unsuitable for Clock Pivot Holes

Silicone oil is an excellent lubricant for many applications — it is chemically stable, non-reactive, and does not gum up with age in the way that petroleum oils do. However, it is unsuitable for clock pivot holes because its surface tension characteristics cause it to creep along metal surfaces and migrate away from the intended application point rapidly. Silicone oil applied to a pivot hole will migrate out of the hole along the arbor surface and onto the wheel teeth, plate surfaces, and other components where it is not wanted within a short period of operation. Oil on wheel teeth increases friction between meshing wheels and pinions rather than reducing it, contributing to power loss in the train. Oil on the plate surface migrates into areas where it contaminates dial components, mainsprings, and other parts. Clock pivot holes require a purpose-formulated clock oil with the correct viscosity and surface chemistry to remain in the pivot hole rather than migrating, and silicone oil does not have these properties despite its general lubricating qualities.

Systematic Approach to Chime Sequence Repair

Step One: Let Down the Chime Train

Before touching any component of the chime drum or its drive wheel, let down all spring tension or lower all weights to remove driving force from the chime train. A chime train under spring or weight tension will resist drum wheel rotation and may produce a sudden uncontrolled movement if the retaining mechanism is loosened without adequate preparation. Use a letdown key and a controlled release technique to unwind the spring in small increments until all tension is removed, then proceed with the alignment work with the train fully relaxed. After the alignment is complete and the set screw has been retightened, rewind the spring or re-hang the weight before testing the corrected sequence.

Step Two: Identify the Correct Alignment Position

Loosen the set screw or remove the circlip that allows the drum wheel to rotate freely. Rotate the drum slowly while listening to the hammer lifts, and stop when four consecutive hammers sound in descending pitch sequence — the B, F-sharp, G-sharp, E pattern that concludes the first and third quarter Westminster sequences. This is the alignment reference position. If you cannot reliably distinguish the pitches by ear, observe the physical hammer lengths — the sequence should go from shortest to longest hammer in four consecutive lifts, as longer hammers strike lower-pitched chime rods.

Step Three: Verify at All Four Quarter Positions

With the set screw retightened at the alignment reference, rewind the chime spring and advance the minute hand to the first quarter position. Listen to the complete note sequence. Advance through all four quarters and verify the complete sequence at each position before concluding that the alignment is correct. If a single quarter position is wrong, the drum may need to be advanced by sixteen notes to the equivalent alignment reference from the other half of the drum rotation. If all four positions are wrong but in a recognizable pattern — consistently the second quarter sequence when the first quarter should play, for example — the drum is a set number of notes away from correct alignment and can be advanced by that number before retesting.

FAQs

Why is my Westminster chime playing notes in the wrong order?

Wrong note sequence in a Westminster chime is almost always caused by the chime drum having rotated out of its correct phase position relative to the hammer arrangement. The drum's set screw or friction coupling has come loose, allowing the drum to drift during operation, or a previous repair has adjusted the drum to an incorrect position. The correction involves loosening the set screw or removing the circlip that retains the drum wheel, rotating the drum to the position where four consecutive hammers sound in descending pitch sequence, and retightening. This reference position corresponds to the end of the first or third quarter Westminster sequence and occurs twice per drum rotation.

How do I find the correct position to set the chime drum?

Rotate the chime drum slowly by hand while the train is relaxed and listen for four consecutive hammer lifts that produce descending pitches — each note lower than the previous. This four-descending-note sequence is the last four notes of the first quarter Westminster chime and occurs twice per complete drum rotation. Setting the drum at this position and then confirming that the first quarter plays correctly when the minute hand reaches fifteen minutes past identifies the correct alignment. If the first quarter sounds correct but subsequent quarters do not, advance the drum by sixteen note positions and retest — you have set the drum to the second equivalent alignment position rather than the first.

What is the set screw on the chime drum wheel for?

The set screw on the chime drum wheel locks the drum wheel in its correct rotational position relative to the chime drum. It can be loosened to allow the drum wheel to rotate freely for alignment adjustment, and tightened to lock the position once the correct alignment has been found. When the set screw becomes loose through vibration over years of service, the drum is free to drift out of its correct position as the chime train runs, producing progressive sequence errors that worsen as the drum continues to slip. Tightening loose set screws may restore correct chime sequence if the drum has not yet slipped far from its original setting.

Why is my clock missing the last note before the hour strike?

A missing last note at the end of the fourth quarter chime indicates that the strike train's warning motion is beginning before the chime has completed its final note, lifting the last hammer into a raised position that prevents it from falling to strike the chime rod. This is a gathering pallet timing problem rather than a drum alignment problem — the gathering pallet is stopping the strike train too late, causing the warning to begin too early and interfere with the final chime note. Adjust the gathering pallet position so that the strike train locks slightly earlier, which delays the warning start and allows the chime to complete all its notes before the strike begins.

Is WD-40 safe to use on clock movements?

No — WD-40 is not appropriate for clock movements and will cause progressive problems over the months following application. It is formulated as a water-displacing solvent and corrosion inhibitor, not as a clock lubricant. After application, its solvents evaporate and the remaining residue combines with atmospheric dust to form a gummy paste that increases friction at pivot holes and eventually stops the clock. The only correct response after WD-40 application is complete movement disassembly, cleaning in appropriate clock cleaning solution to remove all WD-40 residue, and correct lubrication with purpose-made clock oil applied only to pivot holes and escapement surfaces.

What is the correct lubricant for clock pivot holes?

Purpose-made clock oil from a horological supply house is the correct lubricant for clock pivot holes. Clock oil is formulated with the correct viscosity to remain in the pivot hole under the low loads and slow speeds of clock operation rather than migrating away along the arbor surface, and it does not gum up with age in the way that household oils do. Different positions in the clock require different oil viscosities — heavier oil for the barrel arbor pivot, lighter oil for the upper train pivots and escapement. Escapement pallet contact surfaces receive dedicated escapement oil rather than general clock oil. Mainsprings receive mainspring grease, not clock oil. Wheel teeth and pinion leaves receive no lubrication.

Can I align the chime drum without removing the movement from the case?

In many cases yes — if the set screw or circlip is accessible from the back of the movement without removing it from the case, the alignment can often be performed with the movement in situ. Access requirements vary by clock model and case design. If the drum wheel and its set screw are clearly visible and reachable through the access door at the back of the case, loosening the screw, rotating the drum, and retightening can be accomplished without removal. If access is restricted or the drum must be rotated from the front of the movement, removal onto a temporary support — a block of wood adjusted to the correct height for the movement's mounting lugs — provides adequate access for alignment without a dedicated movement stand.