Bar not dropping

[gage]

Hello from the United States.

I was fortunate enough to recently acquire a Sams-Atlas Bar Billiards table. The timer mechanism appears to be working correctly from what I can tell, however the bar never drops to block the returning balls. Is the bar supposed to fall naturally from gravity? When you lift the bar up it just stays up. Does something need to be lubricated? Does it need a weight on the bar to make it fall? I have attached some pictures. Thank you.

Attachments:

[daveuk1]

Does the timer actually work?
Are you saying if you gently push the bar that it does go down? Or is the clock mechanism holding it up?
There should be a distinctive clunk when the timer releases the bar latch and then gravity should play its part and the bar drop down.

A picture taken from above the clock would be helpful, best taken when the timer has finished ticking so we know the bar should of dropped and then a picture of the bar and actuator as in your last picture.

What ever you don't go spraying WD40 or similar inside the clock, a little lubricant on the bar pivot points at each end probably wouldn't go a miss

[gage]

Thank you for the reply. Yes I can gently push the bar down once the timer is complete. When the timer is running I can not push it down. So it appears to be doing its job while the timer is running, it's just once its finished the bar stays suspended in the air. That is why I was thinking it might just need some lubricant. I'm never hearing an audible "clunk" after the timer releases. I was also thinking that maybe the previous owners wanted to play without the timer and modified something to always keep the bar up. I will work on getting you a picture from above.

[daveuk1]

When the timer has timed out the bar should be free and drop down easily, so it does sound like some kind of adjustment and lubrication of the bar hinges is all that is needed

[Sav]

Just sounds like the pivot hinge is binding.

Make sure the bar lifts and drops freely under its own weight before attacking the clock . Bit of bending of the hinge may be necessary, make sure the bar has a bit of sideways movement.