Watch and Clock Escapements eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 236 pages of information about Watch and Clock Escapements.

Watch and Clock Escapements eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 236 pages of information about Watch and Clock Escapements.

[Illustration:  Fig. 95]

[Illustration:  Fig. 96]

[Illustration:  Fig. 97]

[Illustration:  Fig. 98]

To make the pallets adjustable, they are set in thick disks of sheet brass, as shown at D, Figs. 95, 96 and 97.  At the center of the plate C is placed a brass disk E, Fig. 98, which serves to support the lever shown at Fig. 99.  This disk E is permanently attached to the plate C.  The lever shown at Fig. 99 is attached to the disk E by two screws, which pass through the holes h h.  If we now place the brass pieces D D’ on the plate C in such a way that the pallets set in them correspond exactly to the pallets as outlined on the plate C, we will find the action of the pallets to be precisely the same as if the pallet arms A A’, Fig. 94, were employed.

[Illustration:  Fig. 99]

To enable us to practically experiment with and to fully demonstrate all the problems of lock, draw, drop, etc., we make quite a large hole in C where the screws b come.  To explain, if the screws b b were tapped directly into C, as they are shown at Fig. 95, we could only turn the disk D on the screw b; but if we enlarge the screw hole in C to three or four times the natural diameter, and then place the nut e under C to receive the screw b, we can then set the disks D D’ and pallets B B’ in almost any relation we choose to the escape wheel, and clamp the pallets fast and try the action.  We show at Fig. 97 a view of the pallet B’, disk D’ and plate C (seen in the direction of the arrow c) as shown in Fig. 95.

PRACTICAL LESSONS WITH FORK AND PALLET ACTION.

It will be noticed in Fig. 99 that the hole g for the pallet staff in the lever is oblong; this is to allow the lever to be shifted back and forth as relates to roller and fork action.  We will not bother about this now, and only call attention to the capabilities of such adjustments when required.  At the outset we will conceive the fork F attached to the piece E by two screws passing through the holes h h, Fig. 99.  Such an arrangement will insure the fork and roller action keeping right if they are put right at first.  Fig. 100 will do much to aid in conveying a clear impression to the reader.

The idea of the adjustable features of our escapement model is to show the effects of setting the pallets wrong or having them of bad form.  For illustration, we make use of a pallet with the angle too acute, as shown at B’’’, Fig. 101.  The problem in hand is to find out by mechanical experiments and tests the consequences of such a change.  It is evident that the angular motion of the pallet staff will be increased, and that we shall have to open one of the banking pins to allow the engaging tooth to escape.  To trace out all the consequences of this one little change would require a considerable amount of study, and many drawings would have to be made to illustrate the effects which would naturally follow only one such slight change.

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Watch and Clock Escapements from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.