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THE GRUEN WATCH COMPANY

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Tim§ Hill /
Cincinnati 61 Ohio
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LESSON III
Balance - Page 9
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Part l - What is the Balance Wheel?

The balance is the governing part or regulator of a watch. It was first used
about 1600 and was merely a crude wheel of any kind of material. The complete
· balance wheel assembly ,is composed of the balance wheel, balance staff, roller table
and hairspring. The timekeeping possibilities of a watch depend upon the·balance.
If its size and weight are not in the correct proportions to the motive force and
the rest of the movement, no a_djustment can be made that can make it a good time-
piece. Therefore, the hairspring and all other parts are always secondary in
importance to the balance wheel,
There are two types of balance wheels, the cut bi-metallic and the solid rim
or mono-metallic wheels. A brief description of each ldnd follows:
The cut-rim bi-metallic balance is made of a steel center bar or arm, carry-
ing a circular rim cut into two sections, each of tho sections having one free end.
and the other end attached to the center bar. Tho circular rim is constructed of
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,j(i_ brass·and steel fused together, The former metal, which is affected most by tempera-

1
tures, is placed on tho outer side of tho rim, Holes are drilled and tapped radial-
.
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ly through the rim to cal'ry tho balance screws, The purpose of the balance screws
.
is to provide a weight that may be shifted to make temperature adjustments, Tho
number of holes exceeds the number of screws in the balance, as allowance must be
. -t,····_ given for moving the screws in·the final temperature ad.justments, Then tho watch is
'.'.t;.-<-ir exposed to higher· temperatures, the rim expands, and tho watch runs slower. Tho
::~~ii.
x·~-; action of the rim, however, countoracts the slower running because the braes on the
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outer side,·which expands more than the steel inner side, curves the· two free rim
ends inward, thus bringing the weight towards tho center of tho balance. When a
watch is exposed to lowe r temperatures, the exact opposite occurs,. Tho brass
counteracting moro than the steel tends to straighten out tho rim, and carry its
weight outward. It will gain in heat if the screws are too near tho center or
attached end of tho arm, and will lose in cold if tho screws are too near tho free
end of the arm. The size of the balance is governed by tho distance between tho
center of its weight and its axis; therefore tho object or the compensation is to
keep that distance at its proper point in all temperatures,
The other, tno solid rim mono-etallic balance wheel, is the type used in·
practically a~l watches today, There are various metals used in its construction,
but the alloy of Gruen balance wheels is known as 11 Elinvar 11 , manufactured under our
trade-marked name 11 CONORUMA 11 , This alloy is a combination of nickel, steel, Chromi-
um, manganese, tungsten and carbon, and creates no thermal·error, therefore requir-
ing.no compensation in the balance wheel for heat and cold, and also is not affected
by magnetism, Furthor description and advantages ·or this may be dlound under the .. ·
topic of 11 Hairsprings 11 in another lesson.
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 Lesson III - Page 10

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' Part 2 - Staking the Balance Wheel to the Bafance Staff

A. To remove the roller, the balance staff is held·by tho collet shoulder
in a pinvise. After inserting the roller in a·wire chuck, it is removed gradually
by turning the lathe pulley with the left hand, while the pinvise, holding the
balance staff, is kept ~teady in the right hand,
B, To remove the old staff from tho balance wheel, tho staff is chucked by
the hairspring collet shoulder. Turning the lathe rit·slow speed, carefully cut .
away the hub for the baknce seat until a little ring, which is the portion of the
staff that drops off at the moment the graver turns the hub away to the edge of tho
. hole in the b11lanco arm. ·
C, To rivet the bal11ncc wh00l on the staff, select and cente1r with the
coutering punch, a hole in tho staking tool that will fit the roller shoulder of
tho staff without binding. Place the balance wheel on the st.aff and use a snug-
fitting round-faced punch which will spread the rivet. (Fig 36) Tap tho punch
.a few light blows with a brass hammer at the same time turning the- balance whiiel
continuously with the little finger of the left hand,· Now select the proper flat
punch, which is used to flatten tho rivet so there aro no uneven surfaces,(Fig 37)
This flattening operation is dono in the same manner as tho riveting process.
D, To re-fit the roller, ·put it on the roller shoulder of the balance staff
and the table should drop on to the1 staff to about the thickness of the upper
roller, Place the balance staff over the same hole in tho staking tool and push
or tap the roller to its final position by using a flat punch,
Part 3 - True Balances
Place tho balance·in tho calipers and set the index, (Fig 38) First true
the b_alance in the flat, starting with the balance arm so that it is flat and not
cupped and both rirma are level, True one segment at a time, beginning at the arm
and working towards the open end, (Fig 39) This should be done as much as possible
'with the fingers. Next true in the round, also starting at the arm. Any kinks are
to be removed with the wrench or a flat plier that is. lined with cardboard, After
truing the balance in the round, it is necessary to test it again in the flat.
Part 4-Poise Balances
First clean the poising tool ,jaws and the staff pivots with pith, and level
the poising tool and adjust tho jaws, Place the balance in position on the poising
tool, (Fig 40) If the balance is out of poise it will start to rotate. When the
balance comes to rest the screw that is heaviest will bo the lowest point on the
balance rim, To subtract weight use tho balance holder rnnde for this purpose and
remove the heavy screw with a screwdriver, Place the screw in the·lathe and under-
cut the screwhoad slightly, Then replace the screw in the balance, and aback the ·
balance for exact poise by stopping it at each quarter,. A slight tapping of the. 1
poising tool with the tweezer will aid the balance in finding its heaviest point,
The greatest care must.bo taken when poising a balance wheel so that tho
weight of tho balance is not altered, The slightest addition or subtraction in
weight will cause tho watch to lose or gain time,
If it is necessary to remove considerable weight, it is advisable to only
remove about one-half the runount needed from the heavy screw •. Then tho final .
poising is done by ·adding a timing washer on the screw directly opposito the heavy
one. This will maintain the original weight of the balance as nearly as possible.

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 Page lOA
THE Gil.UJ,;N WATCH COl,iPANY
TIME HILL
CINCINNATI 6, OHIO

Fig;, 37

Fig. 36

Bending Rim Up
Fig. 39 · Bending Rim Down

Balance

(_; Balance In Truing

Fig. 40
Calipell'
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Fig. 38
 ' '

THE GRUEN WATCH COMPANY

.····)· \ .\! Time Hill
·......· . · J Cincinnati 61 Ohio
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LESSON IV
HAIRSPRINGS Pago ll

Part l - What is a Hairspring?·

· A hairspring is a simple, delicate circular spring, whoso object is to give
a constant, regular, harmonic motion (to and fro; back and forth) to·the balance
wheel, (Properly speaking, harmonic motion is along a straight line, but it can
so well be applied to the circular motion of tho balance.)
The harispring was first introduced by Huygens in Pnris in 1674, While
l'Abbe Hautefeuille of Orleans was experimonting with pigls bristle and Hooks was
busy with angular energy, Huygens, with the holp of Thurst, was applying the hair- . -"~
spring to the watch, About 1690 it was already in general use, At first,·all
forms were considered and tried; the plain flat, the two flat superimposed, the
cylindrical, conical and spherical. The only survivals today are the cylindrical
for the chronometer and the flat for the watches,
Formerly, hairsprings were made primarily of steel, but there wore numerous
other types made of various metallic composition, CONORUMA·is the Gruen trade-
marked name for this now metal, discovered by Dr,·Guilliame, and is of great'
importance to watchmaking, As an alloy of nickel, steel, chromium, manganese,
( tungsten and carbon, it produces a hairspring with 11 invariable elasticity", creat..
ing no thermal error -- and requiring no compensation·in the balance wheel for heat
and cold, The bi-metallic cut-rim balance, therefore, becomes no longer necessary,
.As an identification and explanation of the advantages of CONORUMA hairsprings
and monometallic, uncut balances, all Gruen·movements which carry'those features ·
are marked on the balance bridge - CONORUMA, which means
CO - Cpmponsation
NO - No .
RU - Rust or
MA - Magnetism
and in addition to tho advantages given above, denote~ the following,
l - Hairspring will not vary with temperature
2 - Impervious to rust ·
3 - Non-magnetic,
The first watches had 3 to 4 coils and now we find 11 to 18, · Moro coils are
required when the Breguet is used to allow the proper swing. Some advocate the
even n1,llllber of coils, others mention that tho individuality of tne watch has to be
considered. But a safe rule to remember is that the diameter of tho spring be halt
tho diameter of the balance wheel.

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 LESSON IV - Page 12
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. .1 Part 2 - Level and Circle Hairsprings
Tho diameter of tho spring, the length of tho spring, tho exact length of
the ovorcoil and the points of attachment are factors that will not be considered
in this lesson. The work conducted here is only to teach the trainee the proper use·
of his tools and give an idea how tho work is accomplished,
Tho two most common forms of hairsprings, are tho ~lat and the breguet, The
flat hairspring is tho older and most simple form, It is still used in some of the
cheaper movements and is tho form used in our first ·experiments, The coils of the
hairspring arc tho same distance apart on all sides and have a flat spiral form,
Tho spring will be bent in several places and tho object is to return tho spring as
nearly as possible to its original form,
Part 3 - Collet and True Hairspring
Collating is tho attaching of tho inner coil of the hairspring to tho brass
collar or collet that fits friction tight on tho balance staff, Tho col.lot pierced
to receive the hairspring which is hold fast by inserting a small brass pin, The
first atop is to break out several inner coils of tho hairspring to allow space for
fitting the coll.et and this a.mount depends upon tho size of the collet and tho
distance between the coils, The distance from the edge of the col.lot to tho first
coil is one and one-half tho space between any two coils, A practical method to
ascertain this distance is to draw two horizontal parallel lines, tangent to tho
outside diameter of tho col.lot and draw a·line perpendicular to the parallel lines,
Center the hairspring between these lines, the innermost end of·tho spring to meet
tho perpendicular line and where tho line crosses at X·(Fig 41), the hairspring is
to be cut. After the spring is inserted in tho col.lot, the innercoil will have tho
proper. space, '
To attach the hairspring to tho collot, first form tho tongue, which is tho
portion of the hairspring that enters tho col.let hole,· The length of tho tongue
should be as long as tho collet hole plus tho distance to the first·coil (Fig 42),
The tongue is formed by grasping tho spring firmly with the tweezer, at the point
where the bend is to be made, and with another tweezer bonding it toward the center,
The curved portion is then straightened and the tongue loaves the spiral portion of
tho spring at an angle, which conforms to the hole in the col.let, (Fig 43)
Place tho col.let on the col.lot holding arbor, with the top of the coll.et
upward and tho entering side of tho hole toward you, (Fig 44) Take a waste piece
of the spring, insert it in the hole and file tho taper-pin flat so it and the spring·
will fill tho hole properly, (Fig 45) Push tho pin in the hole until it is tight '
and with a sharp knife nick the pin at the point it is to.be cut off, favoring the
thicker end of the pins so that the final fastening will be secure• (Fig 46)
Remove the pin and the trial pioco of spring and insert the tongue in the coll.et hole.
Place tho small end of the tapered brass pin in the same end of tho col.let hole that
the spring entered, The pin must enter and leave the coll.et above the main part of
the spring. (Fig 47) Push the pin in tight, break off clean both ends of the pin
still projecting from each side of the col.let hole, by bending a 90 de~rees angle,
(Fig 48) A stub-nosed tweezer is used now to push the ·pin in tight.· lFig 49)
Truing of the hairspring at the coll.et is necessary to correct tho errors·
U caused by the pinning operation. '
 ' ' THE GRUEN VIATCH COMPANY Page 12A
TIME HILL
CINCINNATI 6 1 OHIO

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Fig. 43
Fig. 4,2
.Fig. 41

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Fig. 45

Fig. 44

Fig. 48

Fig. 46 _Fig 47
IOI 1 1 1 ~ _ ....

_Fig. 51

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Fig. 52
()_! . Fig. 49 Fig. 50
 LESSON IV - Page 13
I,
The colletod hairspring is placed on the hairspring truing arbor and to see
whothor tho hairspring is flat and centered, the arbor is turned slowly, If the'
hairspring is true in round and flat there will be just an even flow of'tho coils,
but if a jerky motion is observed it is then necessary to true the hairspring,
Truing tho hairspring consists of pushing or twisting tho innor coil in tho desired
direction with tho tweozors, When truing in tho round it is never necessary to do
any work beyond the first quarter of the inner coil; while in the flat, the hair-
spring is pushed up or down at the points that are low or high,
Part 4- Tho Ovorcoil or Broguet Hairspring
The ov0rcoil is the last coil of a Broguet hairspring which is bent over
tho body of the hairspring, Before bending the overcoil, draw a circle on the bench
papor and divide this circle·into four quarters. ·Tho ovorcoil is started from ~he
end of the last coil at the three-quarter point A, which is tho first knee, ·
22 degrees up from A is the second knoe, and 3 degrees moro or 25 degrees total, is
the start of tho main body of the ovorcoil, This drawing is to be used as a guide ·
in making the bends and is self-explanatory (Fig 50)
To form tho overcoil, lay the hairspring on the bench papor over the marked
circle. Grasp the·hairspring tightly with a stout tweezer, about three-fourths
. from the end of the outer coil, and press into a piece of softwood, This will make
an abrupt bond or knee in the spring,· (Eig 51) Turn the spring over and grasp the
spring 22 degrees from the first bend, press again until tho ovorcoil lies level
with the main body of the hairspring, (Fig 5 2) To circle tho overcoil use the
special hairspring forming tweezer for this purpose (Fig 53), ·
(
. Tho overcoil is to be bont to tho form of a straight lino joined by two
~uarter circles, tho first circle to start about throe degrees past tho second knee,
(Fig 54)
Part 5 - Level, Center and Circle Hairspring in Movement
The actual form of an overcoil is to a certain extent governed by existing
conditions, For example, tho measurement from the center of the balance hole to the
space botwoon tho regulator pins is a definite factor and the curve of tho spring
must be mado to comply with it, (Fig 55) The regulator pins are two little pins
made of brass riveted parallel to each other in the regulator, The regulator is
concentric with tho balance jewel hole and tho hairspring must be perfectly free
between the pins,
Before us we have a lowor·plato, balance bridge, cap jewels and regulator,
Tho work now to be performed is to make the ovorcoil formed in Part 4, to conform
to tho conditions created by these parts, Aftor roshaping the overcoil tho hair-
spring is attached to tho stud, Lay tho balance bridge on the bench with the
regulator downwards, push the ovorcoil between .the regulator pins, 'then draw the
free end of the spring into tho hairspring stud and fasten it with a·brass pin, Now
look down through tho collet, and if tho center of the balance hole jewel is in tho
center of tho collet hole and·it after moving tho r~gulator from slow to fast, the
hairspring remains stationary, it is centered properly, (Fig.56) If not, it can
be determined where to circle the ovorcoil to center the hairspring, (Fig 57)
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 THE GRUEN WATCH OOMPAN . Page 13A
TIME HIL y
CINCINNATI 6, LOHIO.

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Fig. 53

I Fig. 54

Fig. 55

Fig. 56.

Fig. 57 Fig. 58

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, -Fig. 60
Fig._ 59
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 LESSON IV - Page 14

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When the spring is centered properly on the bridge, it is leveled without
being removed from the bridge, In forming the overcoil and any alterations that
were made afterwards care must be taken to keep the overcoil parallel at all points
with the body of the hairspring. (Fig 58) The hairspring must also be level with
the balance bridge and any alterations necessary here are due to the pinning opera-
tion and must be made as close as possible to the stud. After centering and level•
ing on the bridge, the hairspring is put.on the balance staff. This isdone on the
staking tool, using the same hole and the flat punch that were used for staking the
roller, The balance is fastened now to the movement and any minor ad,justments are
made at this point,
Part 6 - Vibrating Hairspring .
A. In fitting a hairspring, the first procedure is to determine the
number of vibrations of the balance_ wheel per hour, (This calculation will be
found at the end of this lesson) Select a hairspring that has approximately half
the diameter of the balance wheel, There. are many factors in selecting a hairspring
of the proper strength that can only be gained by experience, ·One method is to
suspend the balance wheel and hairspring an inch or two above the bench, If the
distance between the point where the spring is held l:>y the.tweezer and the run of
the balance is one-half inch the hairspring is of the approximate strength, The
inner end of the hairspring is temporarily fastened to the collet,
The hairspring is then tried on the hairspring vibrator, (Fig 59) This
vibrator has a master balance wheel with hairspring enclosed in a case and on the
movable arm are tweezers, The hairspring is held by the tweezers and so placed that
the balance wheel arm is parallel with the arm of the master balance wheel and by
means of a lever both arms are set in motion, The point that is gripped by the
tweezers is moved until the two balances vibrate at the same rate, This is the
point that fits between the regulator pins and another quarter coil is allowed for
pinning in the stud, ·

B, The correct pinning point, or point of attachment, of the inner coil,

must be observed carefully for this is a means to obtain an equal regulation in the
various positions, It has been found that one position of pinning distinguishes
itself as best for precision rating, To find the correct pinning point for a .
particular watch, draw an imaginary line parallel with the crown, through the center
of the balance and also a line at right angles to that line, bisecting the center
of the balance, The hairspring is to be pinned so that it develops on the last
mentioned line, (Fig 60)

. C, How do you determine the number of vibrations of hairsprings? Multi;;

ply the number of teeth in the center wheel by the number of teeth in the third
wheel, the total by the number of teeth in the fourth wheel, the ·total by the number .
of teeth in the escape wheel, and the grand total by t,wo, Then multiply the number
of third wheel pinion leaves by the number of leaves in the fourth pinion, times the
number of leaves in the escape pinion. Divide the total leaves into total teeth for
the correct hairspring vibrations per hour, ;[!).....&l;t~.~-L~.-th~.!'U.§....!l•.J!l.£9,9.m\
hand, this mav bo greatlv s;i.mru,,i.fie~t... The.n the number of vibrations per rol nute call.
\;le 9\Ji.c.klv det@rmined bv dly:lding JJJe numbJJ.r....of teeth_io the fourth wheel by tho '
Qll.Jllb.er of leayes in the escape pi(lion ·and muJ,tiplying this result by twice the mun-
' ber of teeth in the escape wheel, · ·
J ,,_ ~ " f •
Eica.mple ( 80 x · 60 x 70 x 15 x 2 ,. 18,000 vibrations per hour >,
10 X 8 X. 7
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 LESSON IV - Page 15

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\ __ .,.. / Part 7-
Miscellaneous Hairspring Data
,,/ What is meant by an isochronous hairspring? An isochronous hairspring
is achieved by having the hairspring of a certain determined length and tho pinned
ends of the overcoil of a certain shape, This results in having the balance wheel
make every vibration, whether a long arc or a short arc, in the same length of time,
Therefore, the watch has approximately the same rate when it is fully wound as when
it has been running about 24 hours,
· A flat hairspring has several eccentric motions which have a tendency
to affect the isochronism, namely: (1) a constant oscillation of the center of .
gravity; (2) a persistent pushing and pulling effect of the balance pivots; and
(3) the effect of torsion, which is a circular impulse taking place at the inner-
most coil of the,hairspring,
A Breguet hairspring,.with its scientifically correct ovorcoil, will
produce superior performance in the attainment of isochronism, This is the reason
it is used in the better quality watches (together with its higher manufacturing
cost) rather than the flat hairspring,
How to untangle a hairspring? To untangle a hairspring·meroly insert
the edge of a piece of paper between tho coils under the tangled part, and turn tho
spring in its outward direction with tweezers, It is not even necessary to remove
it from the balance wheel, However, if too badly tangled it m,ay be necessary to
unpin it at the stud,
,·- 1 What should be done to prevent hairsprings from catching in regulator
\ · pins? The hairspring usually catches when the regulator pins are too long or when
there is too much space between them, The pins should be parallel and not extend
beyond the width of the hairspring and should vibrate freely without binding between
the pins, If the pins are too far apart, it will cause the watch to run slow, The
hairspring should expand freely without coming in contact with the balance arms,
Sometimes the hairspring will catch on the hairspring stud and then it is necessary
to file the sharp corner off tho lower portion of the stud,
How do you clean hairsrpings? When a steel hairspring is being clean-
ed, it should bo put in warm sawdust, so that none of the cleaning fluid will cause
any rust spots on the hairspring. Those spots already on the spring can be cleaned
with diamatine or oitstone powder, but great care must be taken in order not to
damage the hairspring, Loose steel hairsrpings are placed in packages and are.
covered with a fine lime powder, which prevents any discoloration or rust,
How does oil got on hairsprings? This will result in the coils of
the hairspring sticking together, thereby making tho watch gairi very rapidly,
Ex:porience has proven that this is osually causod by too much oil on tho mainspring,
as well as the various train jewels, especially the upper third jewel. The oil. from
this jewel falls on the center wheel and is carried around to tho hairspring, where
a slight ,jar or shock will spray the oil on the hairspring.
What causes magnetism? Watches with steel hairsprings and bi-metallic
balance wheels may become heavily magnetized. This is due to the fact that the '
, wearer came in contact with some strong electric current or appliance, As small
(_,) \ compass placed on top of the balance bridge over the moving balance wheel, will
./ indicate·by a vibrating motion if the balance wheel and/or hairspring is polarized.
If it is, the watch complete with case should be put through a demagnotizer to remove·
all trace of magnetism, , (Watches equipped with Conoruma hairsprings and balance
wheels are not affected by magnetism,) . . . . · ,
 THE GRUEN WATCH COMPANY
Time Higl
Cincinnati , Ohio
LESSON VI
Mainsprings - Page 20

Part 1 - What is the History of the Mainspring? ,!

· The motive powor of a watch depends upon the mainspring, which is coiled '
in a circular metal box, or barrel, The barrel has a cover, the barrel cap, and
both are mounted on the barrol arbor, The inner end of the mainspring is attached
to this arbor while the outer end fits against the inside run of the barrel, The
majority of watches wind the mainspring by turning the arbor, while in some, the
barrel is turned to wind the mainspring,
The mainspring' for the first portable watch was hammered out of a band of
iron by Peter Henlein of Nuremberg in 1504, The first steel mainspring was made
about 1550, Since then the steel used in mainsprings has been improved by various
methods, so the mainspring used in high grade watches today is made .of the finest
steel possible, The following is a prief description of the manufacturing process l
of a mainspring, I
:
I
There are several characteristics.that·the steel used in manufacturing '
mainsprings should possess: (1) be homogeneous, (2) have proper hardening quali-
ties, (3) stand a high degree of temperature, (4) receive a good finish and.clear
color,
The basic material is the highest quality pure Swedish iron ore, Process--
ing it in blast furnace produces pig iron of the highest degree of purity and
uniformity, (Sulphur and phosphorus in the ore act as strength sappers, while
manganese and carbon silicon· are strength givers,) The pig iron is melted into
ingots in open hearth furnaces or in special high.frequency electric furnaces,
The: steel ingots are next hot rolled into bars and sheets about 1/16 11 thick and in
the cold rolling process the steel is reduced to the thickness desired for main-
springs, Throughout the last process the steel is annealed many times to prevent
extreme brittleness and oxidation, Finally, the steel is cut into strips which
must be hardened properly in special hardening furnaces, At this point the strips
are thoroughly polished and then are cut into the proper width and length by means
of very accurate dies and fixtures, The springs are then put into an oil temper-·
ing bath, after which the ends of the springs are partly annealed and re-Polished,
then are given another beat treating process to assure the proper molecular arrangOP,
ment in the steel. Finally, the tongue ends are riveted, the springs are oiled
and are ready for packaging.
During tho winding of a mainspring there are several forces at worki.
(1), The mainspring is being stretched and its elasticty becomes greater
the more the spring is wound.
(2) The mainspring i.s being bent around· the arbor, which causes the mole-
cules on the inside to be depressed, while those on the outside are
stretched,

CJ (3) The mainspring is exerting a pressure or friction against itself and

is constantly sliding against this pressure, '
(4) During the winding and unwinding of the mainspring there is a continu- :
al,change of the, bending point from one end of it to the other. ·
 LESSON VL - Page 21
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,, •• - - , I Part 2 - Fitting and Selecting Proper Mainsprings
' Before fitting or replacing a mainspring, it is necessary to be sure that
the barrel is clean, true and free on the arbor, To test the barrel, assemble
it without the mainspring and holding the arbor in the pinvise, spin the barrel
on the arbor, After the barrel is true, free and any needed correctimns made,
mark the outside rim of the barrel where the opening in the cover lies. Vlhen
reassembling with.the mainspring, it is important that the cover be replaced in
the same position. Wipe off the mainspring with a piece of tissue paper dipped
in oil and work it around the coils, never straighten the mainspring and wind in a
mainspring winder, with the proper size hook,
The Barrel is divided into 3 parts, 1/3 is for the arbor, 1/2 of the remain-
ing area is taken by the.mainspring and the balance is spa~e. The area of both
mainspring and space remain equal under all conditions, whether the mainspring is
wound completely, partially or let down,
It is very important that the mainspring should have tho proper width,
strength or thickness and length. The width should be as great as.it is possible
to use, allowing about ,1 m/m clearance between the bottom of the barrel and cap,
One method to ascertain the approximate strength or thickness of the mainspring with
out resorting to detailed mathematical calculations, is to measure the inside dia-
meter of the barrel and divide by 100, The proper length of the mainspring is when
it occupies one-half of the area between the inside rim of the barrel and the
periphery of the arbor, A method for gauging the approxim,~te division of the
barrel, is to divide the diameter of the barrel into 12 equal parts, allowing tho
arbor 4 parts, the mainsprin~ 5 parts when wound close to the arbor and the remain-
ing 3 parts when run down, (Fig 73)

Part 3 - Miscellaneous Mainspring Data

Why do mainsprings break? - Just why mainsprings break, or why a new spring
is just as apt to break as an old one, is a good deal of a mystery, Science up to
date has found no satisfactory answer to the question, nor an absolut,e and definite
cure or preventive for such breakage, It is commonly accepted that atmospheric
changes and electrical disturbances and tho molecular construction of the steel have
great influence in causing mainsprings to break,
A softer spring, which also means a ch.eap0r one, may be more secure against
breakage, and can even be guaranteed not to break if it is soft enough, but such a
spring will cause other more serious trouble, It is easily disturbed by shock or
strain, and must be wound oftener, and·, therefore, will not keep the watch running
with the necessary precision for good timekeeping,
Gruen mainsprings are made from the finest Swedish steel and are·hand-rubbed
by skilled workmen, Our mainsprings are accurately gauged as to width, length and
thickness, Further, they fit into the barrel without any alterations and are even--
ly tempered by a special process to assure uniform hardness, thereby reducing the
setting of the springs, The 'highly finished, ovalated or cross curved surface·
also reduces the friction between the coils, reeulting in a minimum of breakage,
and the riveted tongue end is designed for proper security. ·
 LESSON VI - Page 22
' '

\ ) Each Gruen mainspring is placed in a protective metal container before ~eing

enclosed in an individual sealed envelope, stamped with the proper movement model
number, ·
',
Should a mainspring be removed when cleaning a watch? - It is important to
remove the mainspring when cleaning a watch in order to determine whether it is
set, distorted, rusted or lacking proper lubrication,
To lubricate-properly one should use a good grade clock oil and not vaseline,
which is too heavy, or watch oil, which is too light and has a tendency to escape
from the barrel.
What are some of the causes of excessive motion? - After a.watch has been'
thoroughly overhauled and a new mainspring placed in the movement, it may have
excessive motion or 11 overbank 11 , This is due to the fact.that the steel in one
spring may have slightly more elasticity than in another spring of identical
length, width and thickness,
Another cause may be that the barrel cover was not' put on in the proper place,
and this slightly bound the barrel arbor, It is extremely important to replace
correctly the barrel cover and lightly oil the pivots of the barrel arbor in order
to reduce any friction to a minimum.,
Also, if the click and click spring.are not properly oiled, this will cause
a tension on the ratchet wheel, which in turn tightens up the mainspring, resulting
in excessive motion,
Best results are obtained when the motion is a full turn of the balance after
winding the mainspring about two turns, and a little more than 1~ turns of the
balance when the·mainspring is wound fully,
! FE.W MAINSPRING DON 1 TS
Don't expect a mainspring to be flat.if it is put.into the barrel with the
fingers, This method not only is liablo to cause rust, which may result in break•
age, but it also usually injures the spring, giving it a conical form, thereby
increasing the friction in the barrel,
Don 1 t fail to provide yourself with a good mainspring winder, See that the
hooks on all the arbovs of the winder are no longer than the thickness of the
smallest spring, thus avoiding kinking and, therefore, unnecessary breakage,
Don 1 t use a mainspring that is too long, because it fills the barrel and
prevents it from making the required number of revolutions.
Don 1 t use a mainspring that is too wide, as it will bind between the bottom
of the barrel and the barrel cover, which increases the friction as it uncoils,
Such a spring will not give uniform power throughout the daily running of the watch
and will, in many cases, cause the watch to stop,
Don't use a mainspring that is too streng, because it will set, thereby
) increasing-the chances of breakage and probable injury to the watch,
. Don't expect a watch that needs a thorough. overhauling to run satisfactorily
by merely putting in a new mainspring,
 'l'HE GRUEN WATCH COMPANY
'rime Hill
Cincinnati 6, Ohio
) LESSON VII
Escapement - Page 23

Part 1 - What is the Escapement?

The escapement consists of a toothed escape wheel, the pallet fork
complete with a receiving and discharging stone, a guard pin and a pallet arbor;
and the roller table, (Fig 74) . ·
The purpose of all these related parts is to allow the power of the
mainspring to·be intermittently transmitted through the train wheels to the
balance wheel, where the power is dispelled at a uniform rate, Many forget that
the complete balance wheel assembly is the actual timekeeping unit of the watch
and not the escapement, The accurate rating of the movement is dependent upon
the period of vibration of the balance wheel,
The power of the mainspring is stopped and released every 1/5 of a second
by the locking·and unlocking of the pallet stones with the locking faces of the
escape wheel teeth,
What are some of the earliest Escapements? - The first known one was the
verge escapement, invented by the celebrated Peter Henlein of Nuremberg about 1500
Other early types of escapements were the cylinder, the virgule, the d~plex, the
chronometer or detent, These all gave the power impulse directly from the escape
wheel to the balance wheel with no fork, and the impulses were not altogether uni-
I ) form,
The popular lever escapement was invented by the famed English horologist
Thomas Mudge about 1750, There have been many·variations and types of.lever
escapement, to name but a few - ratchet tooth, rack, pin pallet, pin wheel, two
pin, two plane, cylindrical, pointed pallet, resilient detached, repellent or anti-
detached, and the p.resen: detached type.
There are two kinds of detached escapements, Tho equidistant has the
locking faces of the pallets and equal distance from the pallet center, The lift-
ing action on this escapement' is unequal, (Fig 75) The circular escapement has
the central portion of the lifting faces of the pallets an equal distance from the
pallet center, The locking faces on this escapement are an unequal distance from
the pallet center, causing an unequal and increased locking resistance, (Fig 76)
In recent years a compromise has been developed between the circular and equidist-
ant escapements, ·It is favored over the other two because it lessens the resist-
ance to unlocking, a fault on the circular, and minimizes the lifting error of the
equidistant, This is accomplished by making the distance from the pallet centers
closer to the locking corners,
Part 2 - Definition of the Various Terms Used in Connection With the Detached
Lever Bscapement .
Banking Pin - A solid or adjustable perpendicular pin or screw to allow
the pallet fork to rest against at the end of its course, A movement is known to
11
overbank11 when the roller ,1ewel strikes outside the pallet fork due to excessive
) motion of the balance wheel,
Club - One ~f the teeth of a club wheel,
Club Wheel - An escape wheel with impulse faces or planes on the end ot its

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L~SON VII - Page ~

teeth,
Draw or Draft - The draw of an escapement is the power that draws the fork
away from the roller after it has delivered an impulse, (Fig 77) The locking only
is not sufficient to insure the ·safety of its action. Therefore, the locking face
of the stone is set at such an angle that the wheel must recoil slightly in unlock"
ing. This angle keeps the fork against the banking pins, and also prevents the
guard pin from coming in contact with the roller,
The draw is determined by deviating the·locking surface of the pallet from
a radial line drawn from the center of the wheel, outside of 'the circumference of ·
the latter, and in the direction in which the force is exerted, presenting thus,
to the tooth of the wheel, an inclined plane down which it may slide, Insufficient
draw is a serious error, It is a constant liability, when the watch is given a
sudden ,jar, for the fork to leave a banking pin and strike the edge of the safety ~I

I
roller, thus retarding the motion of the balance, It is impossible to adjust a
watch having this fault,
There should be just enough draw to overcome the friction of the tooth on
the surface of the pallet stone, and·to hold the fork against the banking pins, If
the fork is moved away from the pins, but not enough to unlock, there should be
sufficient draw to bring back immediately the·fork to the banking pin, If the draw
is too great, it will take too much to unlock, and such loss of power will reduce
the motion of the balance,
To Change Draw - Sometimes can be changed by tilting a pallet stone in
i its slot, This, however, cannot be done when the stone is closely fitted, When
the stone is too closely fitted, the draw may bo altered, thus: to increase the draw
on the receiving stone, move the discharging stone inward; to r~duce it, move the
discharging stone outward, To increase tho draw on tho discharging stone, move
the receiving stone outward; to reduce it, move the receiving stone inward,
To test the Draw - Let the mainspring down to the point it reaches at the
end of a 24 hour run, Holding the watch vertically, with the fork in opposite
horoizontal positions alternately, try the draw, by carefully moving the fork away
from each banking, in turn, but not enough to unlock the wheel, If the draft is
sufficient, it will draw the fork against the banking at both sides,
Drop - Drop is the space that the escape wheel passes through during the
interval between the release of one tooth by a stone and the arrest of another·
tooth by the opposite stone (Fig 78) When a tooth leaves the receiving stone,
another tooth drops on the discharging, Three teeth are then embraced between the
relea$ing corner of· the receiving stone, and the locking face of the discharging,
There is a certain amount of space between the releasing corner of the receiving
and that of the·tooth just released, which admits of moving tho escape wheel to and
fro that amount, and is called "inside drop 11 • When a tooth leaves the discharging
stone, the wheel can also be moved to and fro between the locking face of the
receiving and is called "outside drop", Both inside drop" and 11 outside drop 11 should
be equal, If thef are not, a watch will sound as though it is out of beat.
Drop may be altered by spreading the stones apart or closing them together.
If the -outside drop is the greatest, it can be corrected by moving the pallet stones
) farther apart, If the inside drop is the greatQst, it can be corrected by bringing
the stones closer together, The stones to be moved only one half as much as is
desired to change the drop.· If the inside drop is to be decreased and the stones
are brought closer together, the inside drop has been decreased that·amount., but
the outside drop has also been increased the same amount~ Therefore, move the.
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TIME HILL
CINCINNATI 61 OHIO

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 LESSON VII - Page 2$

stones one-half as much as is desired .to change the drop. There is another way
in which the drop may be altered on either or·both stones by moving a pallet stone
in or out alters the drop from the stone moved, to the other stone.
Fork Hollow - The two curves - also called 11 horns•i - that extend out-
wardly from the corners of tho fork slot. These are a necessary part of the safety
action and prevent the unlocking of the escapement after the guard pin has entered
the passing hollow of the roller.
Fork Slot - The rectangular notch in the end of the fork which engages
with the roller jewel pin to unlock the escapement and give impulse to the balance
wheel.
Guard Pin - The guard pin in a lever escapement is purely a safety device.
(Fig 79) If left out, the timekeeping of the watch would not be impaired as long
as it is not subject to sudden motion. During the arc of vibration of the balance
in the interval between two impulses, the combined action of the guard pin and low-
er roller edge prevents the fork going out of the position to receive the impulse
pin or roller jewel. If it were not for this safety device of the guard pin, any
sudden motion given the watch would be liable to cause a condition which is general•
ly termed over-banking,
· When the impulse pin leaves the fork slot, the first part of the safety
action is secured by the impulses pin and the fork horn, (Fig 80) Thia is due to
the fact that the hollow cuts away a part of the roller edge, and while that cut-
away part stands in the path of the guard pin, there can bo no safety action on the
( \ roller, ,
The guard pin should always be perfectly central with the fork slot, tnere-
fore, never bend or move the guard pin out of center to correct roller shake, The
effect of bending the guard pin out of line with the center of the fork slot is,
first, to cause-the roller impulses to be delivered at unequal distances from the
line of centers, and, second and most serious, the escapement is liable to do what
is commonly termed 11 trip 11 , For example, if tho guard pin were bent to the left and
the escape is locked on the discharging stone, the point of the gu!rd pin is then
opposite the hollow of the roller, and if it should be pressed to the left, it may
cause tho tooth to unlock on the discharging stone, When the guard pin is too far
forward, the bankings should not be opened to allow the roller to pass, because this
would increase the angle of contact between the impulse pin and the fork, thus
lessening the free action of the balance 0
Conditions necessary for correct safety action: The guard pin is central
with the fork slot; the sides of the fork slot are parallel and of equal length;
the inside circles of the fork horns have the proper arc, and both are equal in
relation to the fork slot; the impulse pin or roller jewel is square to the front
and upright; the edge of the safety roller is polished and concentric on the staff,
To Test the Safety Action - Move the balance around until the, tooth escapes
and the fork goes to the banking, The guard pin should then be sa~ely free from
the roller edge, If it is not, the guard pin is too loog aoa should be shortened.
If the guard pin has too much play, it should be lengthened either by pushing it out
a little, or fitting a new pin, While the fork is against the banking, press the
) guard pin against the edge of the safety roller, The tooth should still remain on
the locking face of the pallet, when tried with both pallets, If the tooth does'not I
remain there, it must·bo corrected as stated above. When pressing tho fork back, as
described, the play is found to be right, and the guard pin wedges against the edge
of the safety roller seeming almost to pass to the other side, the fault should be
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 THE GRUEN WATCH COMPANY Page 25-A
Tn!E HILL
CINCINNATI 61 OHIO
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corrected by a smaller safety roller and a longer guard pin, See that the guard
pin does not get above or below the safety roller, Test by raising the fork to the
highest position its endshake will alow, Care should be taken that the hollow for
the passage_of the guard pin is wide and deep enough so as to avoid contact with it
nhon passing by,
Impulse and Lift - An oscapo tooth, in delivering impulse to the pallet,
moves in an arc of a circle, The circular impulse is measured from the center of
the escape wheel and is divided between an escape tooth and a ·pallet stone, Any
alteration made in an escapement by moving a stone·in or out changes the impulse
action, Another result from moving a pallet stone, is that it changes the extent
of the arc of vibration of the pallets called "1¢ft 11 , The term 11 l~ft 11 is appH cd
to the thrust tiven to the pallets by an escape tooth, The lift ls measured from
the pallet can er and is ATI'o'1'.!Ivi"ueaoe~weenanes'aaj)etooth and a pallet stone,
The action between the wheel and the pallets shmuld be that the heel of the
toothtooth glides along the impulse plane of the stone (Fig 81) until finally the
two impulse faces meet nearly parallel, and then the heel of the tooth passes the
let-off corner of the· pallets, (Fig 78) ·
.Lock - Lock is the distance from the locking corner of a pallet stone to tho
point at which the wheel tooth strikes the instant it is arrested by the stone,
_Tho distance should_b_e__fl_~..l,.ittle !!!LJlOB_sil:Jl_e, (Fig 77) ~nsistent with a~low~nc~
that sfiould be made to cover certain unavoidable mechanical error_s., such as sicie-
sniiKe·-rn 'the pivot~JiciI_os~ fr1iii:curacyofthee·sca.pe-wheol. :l,11-:.rc,µn_d , __ variaJ~on. in '
spacing of tho 'feoth.,__otc, ·- --------- ----· --- - -~ . . . -

l The amount of locking in tho pallets is very important for tho good perform,..
anco of a watch, If it is shallow, the tooth are liable to fall upon tho impulse
face, a very serious defect; if the locking is too deep, thon too much power is
required in unlocking and the power used is taken from that required for tho im-
pulse to tho balance, The amount of lock should be from 1/10 to 1/8 the width or
tho impulse face of tho pallet stones-;--- . -·-- . ·· ........ ..... - -.. · - · · - · '

Moving· one pallet stone either outward or inward alters the lock on both
stones. V/hen a stone is drawn outward it causes the tooth to drop farther up on
the locking face of the opposite stone while moving it inward has the opposite
effect, If one pallet steno is s0t out or toward the wheel or away from it, it
will increase or decrease the locking on both stones ,Just as· much as either one is
moved. If the locking is too light and one stone is set out, it might iucroase
the locking enough, But·if the watch was 11 in line", it would be thrown out of line
by moving only one stone, so it is necessary, in order to keep the watch 11 in line",,.
to move each stone out one-half as much as is required to increase the lock.
To test lock - Move the fork slowly from left to right, and when tho tooth
drops, it should drop safely on to the locking face, not on the impulse plane. The
latter would indicate a shallow depth, and the watch cannot be timed if the tooth
drops on the incline or just on tho corner, Each tooth should be tried separately
on both receiving and discharging pallets. If the teeth are irregular, the fault
is in tho Wheel, which should be replaced as the corners of the pallets may be
rounded, or chipped off, causing the tooth to drop on the incline, when·the locking
is really deep enough. If tho tooth drops too far up tho locking plane, the safety
) or tho banking action may be at fault. Therefore, never make a correction'on an
escapement unless the exact cause of tho tro~ble has been found.
 THE Gl(UiN ;·;:,TC!! CGLli'Af:Y Page 26-A
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 LESSON VII - Page 27

Pallet, Circular - An escapement in which the centers of its impulse faces

are equally distant from the pallet arbor,
Pallet, Egui-Distant - An escapement in which the locking faces are equally
distant from the pallet arbor,
Pallet, Discharging - (also called 111 11 or left stone in Ameri.can watches) -
The last of the two ruby pallet stones to engage with a given tooth of the escape
wheel,
Pallet, Receiving - (Also called 11 R11 or right stone) The first of the two
ruby pallet stones with which a tooth of the escape wheel comes into engagement.
Pallet Stones - Effect of Moving in the Pallet Fork - Drawing out the "R"
stone increases the drop on the inside and increases the draft on the "111 stone,
Drawing out the "LU. stone increases the drop on the outside and decreases the draft
on the 11 R11 stone.
Drawing out the 11 R11 stone and pushing in the 11 111 atone increases the draft on both
stones, ·
Dr awing out either stone increases the look on both stones.
The reverse movement of the stones produces the opposite effect.
Passing Hollow - The crescent-shaped notch in the edge of the roller table
which permits the guard pin to pass from one side of the roller to the other.
~ - This refers to the front side of the escape wheel teeth. extending
1
-,. from the locking corner down to the rim of the wheel• The purpose of rake is to
1 prevent the locking side of the pallet stone coming in contact with any part of the
. escape wheel tooth except the locking corner or bezel, ·
Roller Jewel - The relation between the fork and roller ,jewel are divided
into two parts: (1) the unlocking of the pallets and (2) the impulse to the balance.
The unlocking takes place _as a result of power from the balanqe and hairspring,
while the impulse to the balance receives its energy by means of the power derived
from the mainspring and transmitted through the train to the escape wheel, The
roller jewel should fit tho notch in the fork as closely as possible, be free and
perpendicular to the roller table, A·jewel that is too small will cause the lever
to move some distance without giving impulse, resulting in a poor motion to the
balance wheel, (Fig 74)
Roller. Safety - The·small diameter.roller that acts in connection with the·
guard pin to prevent the accidental unlocking of the escapement. The relation
of this roller to the table roller must be such that in looking through its
passing hollow at the end of the roller jewel pin~ the two corners of the hollow
shall appear to be equally distant from the sides of the pin,
Roller Table - The larger roller which carries the jewel pin, A roller table
that does not have the safety roller is called a single roller, whereas one that
has the added safety roller is known as a double roller table,

·Slide - Slide is the distance from the point at which the wheel tooth
strikes the locking face of a stone at the instant of drop, to the point it roaches
( ) when the motion of the pallet is arrested by the fork coming in contact with the
banking, The purpose of the slide is to.allow proper freedom for the impulse pin
to pass out of the fork slot, and also to allow freedom between the guard pin and·
the edge of the safety roller. Opening or closing a banking pin changes the slide,
but does not change the look, whixe moving a pe.Uet stone changes both lock and slide.
 LESSON VII ... Pago 28

The amount of slide should be the least quantity that will insure safety;
for the slide combined with the lock and the draw is a resistance to the motion of
tho balance,
Toe - The part of a club escape wheel,_ tooth which leaves the pallet stone
last, Tho wheel travels from heel to too,
~ - The locking corner of tho club escape wheel tooth,

Part 3 - What is the New Gruen Ewcapement Without .Banking Pins? - Duo to the new
technique employed in tho manufacture of Gruen watches, tho old style banking pins
have been eliminated, The walls of the lower plate themselves or·the sides of the
pallet lever bridge act as the banking pins and the escapement is, therefore,
properly adjusted before 'leaving the factory, It is not necessary to do any
further adjusting to it,
Experience has taught us that with the former banking pin type of escape-
ment, someone invariably moved the pins one way or the other, thereby throwing the
entire escapement out of adjustment,
This new type of escapement has proved very satisfactory due to the fact,
in our opinion, it is more secure, The reason for this statement is that tho walls
of the lower plate or sides of the pallet lever bridge are more solid than the
usual banking pins, There is no more wear to this type of escapement than tho
type with the banking pins, In manufacturing the movements, all the escapements
are made somewhat light so that if it is,ever necessary to change the pallet stones
( 1 they can be set deeper,
..

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 'l'he Gruen, Watch Company
Time Hill
Cincinnati c, Ohio
Lesson Vlll
Trains - Page 29

PartJ,____ What is the "Train" of a jllatcl~vement?

The main train of a watch movement, known as a com-
pound train, consists of a series of wheels and pinions for
transmitting the power from the mainspring barrel to the
balance wheel. (Figure 82)
As the wound-up mainspring unwinds fron1 tiie barrel
arbor, the power is transmitted from the barrel, sometimes
called the main wheel, to the center pinion, to which is
attached the center wheel. 'J.'he center wheel transn.ti ts tne
power to the Jrd pinion carrying the Jrd wheel, which in turn
enga$es in the 4th 'pinion carrying the 4t,1 wheel, which trans-
mi ts the power to the escape pinion carrying the escape wheel,
Up to this point the. power has been of a rotary nature in that
the wheels are rotating, each wheel revolving more rapidly
and in a different direction tl1an the preceding one and with
the power diminishing correspondingly. The inclined surfaces
of the impulse face of the escape wheel teeth now transmit
the power to the impulse face of the pallet stones, which
transmit the impulses through action of tne pallet fork to the
roller jewel, which gives the final vibratory motion of the
balance wheel, This shows that what is lost in the original
power of the lllainspring is gained in the speed of the balance
wheel, which indicates that, a maximum of e1'ficiency is
obtained on a minimum of power.
What is meant by the term "an 18 1 000 train"?
This indicates that the balance wheel will make
18,000 vibrations in both directions in one hour. If it
vibrates n10re than for an 18,000 train, the movement will gain
in time and if less, it will lose. A train of this construction
will require the 4th wheel to make a complete revolution in one
minute, and as 5 vibrations of the balance wheel are made each
second, the second dial will be evenly divided into 60 spaces
indicating the seconds,
To determine the number of vibrations a balance
wl1eel will make, it is necessary to multi ply the number of
teeth in the center wheel by the nwnber in the 3rd wheel, by
the number in the 4th w11e·e1, by the number in the escape wheel ·
times 2 (because each tooth of the escape wheel gives two
impulses). This sum is divided by· multiplying the total of
the number of leaves in the 3rd pinion, in the 4th pinion~.,
and in the escape pinion. An illust:i:ation is: · ,.
f..
80 X 75 X 80 X 15 X 2 = 14,400,000 : 18 1 000
10 X 10 X 8 800
It must be understood that all 18,000 trains do not
have the same ·number of teeth in the wheels and leaves in the
pinions. 'The size and construction of the movement determine
 ..
•
,, ) \
·.. /)
. ,.~·· Pap 29-A
 Lesson Vlll - Page 30
this number, as larger movements usually have more wheel
teeth than smaller movements.
The 18 1 000 train is known as the standard train and
is used in practically all movements today. Formerly, there
were many "fast" trains such as 19,333 - 19,440 - 20,160 -
20,222 and 20,940 vibrations, which were used in very small
watches. The reason the fast trains were employed was that
the balance wheel was given a faster motion, thereby lessening
to a certain extent the influence of outside disturbanc~s,
such as quick jerking motions of the arm while the watch was
worn. However, now with the many ·technical advances made in
watchmaking, such as friction-type jeweling, improved gear
cutting technique, modern machines and equipment, the present
day movements can be made with the standard train of 18,000
vibrations, that has proven so successful,
Defecti.ve gearing of the train (due to faulty design
or improper replacement of parts) can cause a movement to run
erratically or to stop due to a number of causes. The most
common are depthing too deep or too shallow, pinions too large
or too small, badly worn teeth and pinions, or incorrect end-
shake of the pivots. Therefore, a careful checkup of the
train -is most essential in order to assure·proper timekeeping
accuracy,
DEFlNl TIONS OF THE TECHJ:UCAL TERMS USED IN WATCH TRAINS
(Fig. 83)
WHEEL:- Is any circular piece of metal, usually brass, on the
periphery of which teeth may be cut of various forms arid ·
numbers, and these teeth mesh into the spaces of the pini.ons,
PINION:- Is a smaller wheel of steel, with teeth' or leaves
playing in connection with a larger wheel, The projections
on the surface of the pinion are called leaves and work into
the spaces between the teeth of the wheel.
PITCH CIRCLE:- Is a circle concentric with the circumference
of a toothed wheel, and cutting its teeth at such a distance
from their points as to touch the corresponding circle of the
pinion and having with that circle a common velocity, as in a
rolling contact,
PITCH DIAMETER:- Is the diameter of the pitch circle,
FULL DIAMETEtt:- Is .the diameter measured from point to point
of the teeth.
DISTANCE OF CENTERo:- Is the distance measured on a straight
line from center to center, between the wheel and pinion. (It
should be measured very accurately, as on this·measurement
depends the entire ~uccess of all,aalculations·for train wheels)
l 'J.._·)·
. LINE .OF CENTERS:- Is a line drawn from center to center of a~y
wheel and pinion at which the two acting points should meet.
 Lesson VIII - Page 31
' '
/ DIAMETRICAL PITCH: - Is the diameter of the pitch circle,
divided into as many spaces as there are teeth on the wheel
('\1
'· ''
or leaves in the pinion. '
CIRCULAR PITCH:- Is the pitch circle divided ~nto as many
spaces as there are teeth on the.wheel or leaves in the
pinion, ·
ADDENDUM:- Is the acting portion of the ·tooth, either on the
wheel or pinion, outside of the pitch circle. (Sometimes
ca_lled the working depth.)
DEDENDlThi:- Is the non-acting or inside portion of the tooth,
either on the wheel or pinion, from the. bottom of the add,endum
to the base of the tooth.
DRIVER:- Is the wheel or the one that forces the other along._
DRIVEN:- Is the pinion or the one that is being forced.
LEAD:- Is the tooth or leaf of the driver that is in direct
coritact with the leaf or tooth of the driven. ·'
PROPORTION OF WHEEL TO PINION:- must be, as the number of
teeth contained in the wheel and pinion, and size of each, is
to the distance of centers, within which they are to run,

( \
NUMBER OF TURNS OF A PINION:- divide the number of teeth in'
the wheel by the ·number of leaves ·in the pinion.
NUMBER OF TURNS OF LAST WHEEL TO THE FIRST:- multiply the
teeth in all the wheels (meshing in the pinions) together and
divide that product by the total of all the leaves of the
pinions, the quotient will be the number of revolutions of the
last wheel to the first.
If a wheel is lost, how is the correct number of teeth and leaves
determined?
Jrd WHEEL:- First, count the number of teeth in the
center wheel and the leaves in the 4th pinion, Every 4th
pinion in a movement having a second hand must make 60
revolutions to one of the center Wheel, therefore, the number
of teeth in the wheel and leaves in the pinion must be. so
calculated as to produce that result. The Jrd pinion must
have such number of leaves as will divide the number of teeth
in the center wheel without a remainder. The Jrd pinion makes
8 revolutions to one of the center, which makes 8 one of the
factors. There must be such number of teeth in the Jrd wheel
as to cause the 4th pinion to revolve as many times as is
necessary to produce the required result, viz: 60 revolutions ..
of the 4th pinion to one of the center. The other factor is
., ' obtained by dividing the number of revolutions the 4th pinion
()) must make, which is 60, by 8 1 the other factor. Therefore,
/ multiply the number of leaves in the 4th pinion by the last
found factor. This _equals the number of teeth for the missing
whe(;ll, Then use the following rules to obtain the correct
diame.ters for the wheel and the pinion.
 Lesson VIII - Page 32
The distance of centers times 2 divided by the sum
of .the teeth in the wheel, plus the leaves- in the pinion,
equals the diametrical pitch. Then it is necessary to have
' the addendum, obtained by multiplying the diametrical pitch
by 2,5, The pitch diameter of the wheel. is as many diametrical
pitches as ther"e are teeth on the wheel, therefore, multiply · ·
the diametrical pitch by the number of teeth on the wheel.
-The pitch diameter, plus the addendum, equals the full diam-
eter of the wheel. ·
Jrd PINION:- Obtain the 2 diameters for the pinion
in the same manner, This must have as many diametrical
pitches as there are leaves in the pinion with the addendum
added ·tor full diameter. The diametrical pitch tic,,es number
of leaves equals the pitch diameter for the pinion. The
diametrical pitch times 1;25 equals the addendum. The pitch
diameter, plus the addendum equals the full diameter of the
pinion,. For proof, add the 2 pitch diameters, and divide the
sum by 2 to give the distance of centers.
4th WHEEL:- Let "F" indicate the missing 4th wheel:
80 X 75 X F X 15 X 2: 18,000
'10 X 10 X 8
225F: 18,000 18 ,ooo -·.. 225 : "F" of 80 teeth
4th PINION:- Let "f" indicate the missing 4th pinion
80 X 75
10
X 80 X
X f X 8
15 X 2 -- 18,000
180.000 = 18,000 180,000 -/r 18,000 : "f !' of 10 leaves.•
f
4th WHEEL & PINION COMPLETE:- Let "F" indicate the
4th wheel and "f" the _4th pinion.
80 X 75 X F X 15 X 2 : 18,000
10 X f X 8
2 1 250F : 18,000 F : 18,000 : ratio of 8
f f 2,250 1
The result shows that the 4th wheel should have 8 times as
many teeth as the 4th pinion has leaves. Changing "f" into
any of the mus_t used pinion numbers as 6, 7, 8, or 10, the
following solutions are obtained, 48,___i§_, 64, or 80.
. . a" 7 1f" Io
Part 2 - Depthings
The train of a watch should be of accurate construc-
tion, high finish and the depthing of the wheels and pinions ··
should_. provide a uniform- lead throughout. Due to lack of
apparatus by which the depthing of the teeth can be seen; the
w
 Lesson VIII - Page 33
watchmaker has to depend upon touch and therefore, the train
\
is one of the most difficult sections of a movement to control
Before inserting the wheels in the movement, it is necessary
to clean tho111oughly all jewel holes, pinions,. wheels and pi vote.
With the balance and fork removed, test each wheel
by pressing a pointed pegwood against ·the pivot of the pinion
into which the wheel engages, (Figure 84) and lead the wheel
slowly back and forth, If the wheel cracks or jumps, the ·
depthing is too deep (Figure 85) or the wheel or pinion too
large, while if the wheel slips or slides, the depthing is too
shallow (Figure 86) or the pinion or wheel too small or too
far apart. If no defects were found, wind the mainspring and
if the train is free throughout, it will be observed that the
moment the mainspring is completely unwound the escape wheel
will turn in a contr~ry direction.
The depthing tool (Figure 87) can be used to see the
action of the gears, care must be taken that the distance taken
by the wheels in the tool is the same as in the movement, Ad-
just the points of the depthing tool perpendicular to the
, movement plate and exactly in the center of the pivot holes,
Without changing the distance between the points place the
wheel and pinion together between the V centers and lead the
wheel back and forth noticing if any defects are present.
In observing the action of a wheel and. pinion in a
) depthing tool, attention should be paid to the outgoing tooth,
noting that its point is not used and the incoming tooth takes
over without drop (Figure 88), ¼hen properly portioned and
spaced wheel and pinion engage each other, the contact points
will be where their pitch circumference intersect the line of
centers, or at the widest part of the leaf and tooth (Fig. 89)
The line of centers varies depending on the number of leaves
in the pinion, (Figure 90) shows one with 12 leaves, (Fig 91)
one with 8 leaves, and (Fig 92) one with 6 leaves in the pinion,
Pinion too small:- If the pinion is too small (Fig 93
the pitch circles do not meet and the face of the tooth engages·
before the line of centers has its contact on the face of the
leaf. This results in a waste of power and much noise and the
fitting of a larger pinion is the only satisfactory solution,
Depthing too shallow:- Where the pinion and wheel
are placed too far apart,(Figure 86) this can be remedied by
a larger wheel or by stretching the wheel and correcting its
teeth in the rounding-up tool (Figure 94) to insure that it is
perfectly round,
Depthing deep:- Where a pinion and wheel of correct
size are too close to each other, the tooth (Figure 85) which
ts discharging the leaf (A) releases its face before the tooth
(Y) comes in contact with the leaf (B) and causes an uneven
load,
Stretching a wheel:- When necessary to stretch a
wheel, hold it on a staking tool stump in the v:\,se, and with a
small polished hammer, lightly tap at the base of the flank
 THE GH.Ur.:N WATCH CO!l?J.NY Page 3.3-A
TTh:E llILl,
CiNCIIJN.\TI 6 1 OH_IO

Teatin1 Depthin1 In Movement

Fig. 84

'
· Namea Of Wheel And
Pinion Parts
".

Fig. 83
/

(
X

J'roper · Contact Of ~af

Deptl.in1 Too Deep "-"d Tooth
Fig. 85 j Fig, 89

Testing Depthing In
Depthing Tool
..{. ·-··---~ . .

Fi_g. 87

DepthinP Too Shallow Proper Lead Pinion Too Small

Fig. 86 / Fig. 8$ .- . Fig. 93 ~.

 Lesson VIII - Page 34
without striking the arrp.s. The wheel is made to revolve with
the fingers after each tap. (Figure 95) and should be
corrected in the rounding-up tool. (Figure 94)
Part 3 - Turning Pinions .
To fit a new pinion to a wheel, first remove _the old
pinion by turning off the reveting without removing any metal
from the wheel. Lay the pinion on the die of· the staking-tool
a~d with a suitable punch, tap it out.(All measurements can be
taken from the old pinion.) Measure the height of the blank. .·
to be turned from the pinion face. Clamp that part of the ·
leaves that is not to be turned in the lathe and cut down the :
leaves to form a seat for the wheel. When turning pinions use
tl1e point of the graver and hold it rigid with the point above
the center (Figure 96) and turn until the pinion just begins
to enter the wheel,
Care must be taken in fitting a new pinion .to a wheel
that the leaves fit into the marks made by the old pinion,
otherwise trouble may be encountered in securing the. wheel.
Press the wheel against the seat friction tight and try its
truth in round and if the wheel is not true sl1ift its position
on the pinion until it runs true. Mark the wheel and a leaf
of the pinion so that its pes1tion can be found again.
· Shorten the leaves allowing just enough_ to rivet and
there should be only a· sligll t in tercut to insure a sound rivet.
(X Figure 97), Measure the position for the pivot from the
pinion face mark, then turn and polish. (P Figure 97),
Reverse the pinion, fasten it with the unfinished
part projecting from the chuck and turn the opposite pivot
with the shoulder to the proper height. (Figure 98). Finally
polish the pivot and pinion face.
When the pinion is finished (Figure 99), press a
piece of watch paper against the polished face and place it in
the staking tool, Select a riveting punch of such size that it
will spread the riveting similar to fitting a palance staff,
During the riveting operation·, care should. be taken to shift
the wheel every few blows to insure it being true and flat.
 THE GRUEN WATCH CCl.iPANY PUge 34-A
.. Til'lE HILL, /
CINCillNATI 6 1 OHIO

r:;'\
/·-~'· ..

. \
I / J\
I .... , ....
// Fig. 92
'
Fig, 90 ~ig. 91

i SideView
Top View

Fig. 94 Fig. 97

Wheel Adjuated In Shoulder, And Pivots Turned

Roundina Up Tool
Fig. 98

Stretchina Wheel
c:t SIP=
IFiniahed Piniol'i

Fig. 95 'Fig. 99
Tumina Pinion· For Shoulder_
I
\.
Fig. 96
 The Gruen Watch Company
Time Hill
Cincinnati 6, Ohio
Lesson IX
) Wi.nding & Setting - Page 35
Part 1 - What is the Dial Train of a Movement
The dial train of l:l watch movement, as its name im-
plies, is under the dial of the top side of the lower plate.
Its function is to indicate the proper time by transmitting
the power of the center wheel to the cannon pinion carrying
the minute hand, which makes one revolution per hour, which in
turn meshes with the minute wheel, whose pinL.Jn engages the
hour wheel carrying the hour hand, which makes one revolution
every twelve hours. When the stem is pulled out the clutch
pinior1 engages in the intermediate wheel, which meshes with the
minute wheel and other parts of the dial train, as described
in the previous sentence, permitting th.e hour and minute hands
to be set.~ither backward or forward.
In calculating the dial train, the wheels and pinions\
may be any number of teeth and leaves, so that when the number ·,
of teeth in the wheel is divided by the number of leaves in th}
pinion that runs in connection with it, and the two quotients
are multiplied together, the result shall be.12, .
----·-·-- ··---~~-·· '
/

The two most common winding and setting arrangements

are the stem wind and lever set and the stem wind and set,
The lever set is the older of the two and the setting of the
hands is executed by pulling out a small lever from under the
di.al. A short lever or cam attahced to the lever proper.
cti·sengages the .winding and throws the mechanism into the set-
ting postion. This type is required on all railroad watches,
The stem wind and stem set is operated by pulling
out the crown and the setting mechanism under the dial auto-
matically goes into the setting postion locked so that it
cannot slip or become disengaged, On some, the stem and crown
are held in position by means of a spring sleeve, while in
others, the stem is one mntire piece with the crown attahced,
The top and bottom of one winding and setting arrangement
using the spring sleeve are shown in (Figures 100 & 101).
The spring sleeve screws into the pendant and can be moved in
or out as may be required, A one piece stem set is shown in
(Figure 102)
The clutch pinion on the square of the winding stem
is held against the winding pinion by the clutch lever spring
pressing against the clutch lever. When thus held, the turn-
ing of yhe crown causes the winding pinion to engage with the
crown wheel, which'in turn meshes into the ratchet wheel,
winding the mainspring. When the crown is pulled out, the
detent pin between the shoulders of the stem is pulled up,
carrying with it the detent and clutch lever, forcing the
\ ~-
,. clutch pinion toward the dial train, The lower teeth of the
clutch pinion engage with the teeth of the intermediate setting
wheel, which in turn engages with the minute wheel and the
hands can be then moved when the. crown is turned.
 The Gruen Watch Company
. ;
Time Hill
Cincinnati 6, Ohip
Lesson XI
) Adjusting - Page 45
Part 1 - What is meant When We Say a Watch is "Ad.justed"?
The term "adjusted" or "adjustment" represents a near approach
to mechanical perfection and the ideal of timekeeping accuracy,
A sood watch usually is said to have the following adjustments:
(1) Position, (2) Temperature, (3) Isochronism. .
(a) Position Ad ustment - A watch is so adjusted when it has
approx mate y the same rate in .its various positions, such·
as dial up, dial down, stem up, stem down, etc,
This adjustment is likewise "built in" by having all
the parts fitted precisely so that there is a minimum of
friction to overcome excessive loss when the watch is
carried or worn in various positions.
(b) 'I'emperature Adjustment - A watch is so adjusted when it
has approximately the same rate in .both hot and- cold as
well as normal room temperatures.
This adjustment is "built in" the movement by the use
of conoruma, which is an alloy of nickel, steel, chromium
and other metals. This produces a balance wheel and hair-
spring with "invariable elasticity", creating no thermal
error, and requiring no compensation in heat or cold.
(} Likewise, it is non-magnetic,
(c) Isochronal Ad ustment - A watch is so adjusted when it has
approximate y the same rate when it is fully wound as when
it has been running about 24 hours.
This adjustment is likewise "built in'' the movement
by having. the hairspring of a certain length and the
pinned ends of the coil of a certain shape. This results
in having the balance wheel make every vibration, whether
a long arc or a short acr, in the same length of time.
What are the theee catego~~s of watch adjusting?
( 1) By timing is meant a movement is brought to time after it
has been cleaned and/or repaired. A movement may show a
gain or loss timing rate for a number of reasons, the most
frequent being: by the fitting of a new hairspring,
balance staff, balance hole, jewels, or mainspring. such
errors can be corrected in most instances by the manipul-
ation of the hairspring and other parts or by moving the
regulator or by the addition of proper timing washers,
(2) By rating is menat the rate of a movement is determined by
the amount of time it gains or loses per day. A perfect
rate is one in which the gain or loss is exactly the same
( ) . perday. Subsequently, a good rate is o'ne in which the gain
or loss is approximately the same per day, and a poor rating
is indicated by a gain or loss that varies considerably
from day to day, The rating of a movement varies with its
size and qua·lity; a ladies' movement has· a greater varia-
tion than a man's strap movement, which, in turn has a
 Lesson XI - Page 46
greater variation than a pocket watch movement,
( 3l By regulation is meant that a movement, after being cased,
should·be regumated to the individual wearer, as each
owner has different habits, such as degree of activity,
· type ·of work, climatic conditions, etc, Precision time-
keeping is substantially affected by these things,
Part 2 - Position Adjusting
Adjusting of a watch really starts with the barrel.
Close pesition and isochronal rating cannot.be attained unless
the main train is in first-class condition. A correct amount
of endshake and sideBhake is important and all train wheel and
balance pi_vots should be well rounded and polished.
The watch-should be tested for magnetism as it is
useless to attempt to adjust a watch if it is magnetized, The
hairspring must be flat, true on the collet, well centered, the
overcoil correctly curved and the watch "in beat",
The arc of motion of the balance wheel·,· when fully
_wound should be about l½ turns or 540 degrees, that is, it
will move 3/4 turn or 270 degrees in one direction and tnen
return the same amount in the other direction. The· arms of
the balance wheel beQome visible at the moment it completes the
arc of motion and starts in the opposite direotion on its
return vibration. The balance arc should be examined in all
positions and if the motion is faulty in certain ones, the
necessary corrections should be made before any adjustments to
position or isochronism are attempted,
The ir;.pulse communicated to the balance wheel, through
the escapment, should take place at the moment the hairspring
is at its state of rest. An impulse delivered before tl1e point
of rest will accelerate the vibrations and one delivered after
will retard them. Therefore a carefully adjusted escapment is
of the utmost importance in the fine position and isochronal
'rating of a watch.
One of the most common causes of variation between
the positions is a balance wheel that is out of poise. If the
light side is upperr,,ost when the balance wheel is at rest, the
watch will gain when the arc of motion is greater than l¼ turns
and will lose when it is less. The opposite effect will be had
if the heavy side is uppermost,
The hairspring must fit properly the two straight
regulator pins, otherwise irregular action of the hairspring
can be expected. A slight opening or closing of the pins as the
case may require, will aid in bringing the l10rizontal and
vertical postions in closer aggeement. If the regulator .pins
are closed and the watch gains in the pendant up position, a
slower rate is obtained by opening the pins. If the pins are·
open and the watch loses, a faster rate is obtained by closing
the pins, Opening and closing the pins also changes the rate
between the long and short arcs. Leaning of the coil against
one of the pins will make the short arcs fast,.: but if the coil
 1• ,,

Lesson XI - Page 47
is free between the pins that are slightly open, the short
arcs will be slow,
Part J - Temperature Ad,justment
In explaining temperature adjustment, it is necessary
only to discuss the compensated type, The ~urpose of the
. balance screws is to provide a weight that may be shifted to ·
make temperature adjustment. T,he number of holes exceeds the
number of screws in the balance wheel rim as allowance must be
made for moving the screws in the final temperature adjustment.
In adjusting a watch to temperature, it is run 24
hours in heat, dial up ,position, and then the same length of
time·in cold, If it gains in cold, as compared with its per-
formance in heat, it is termed_"under-compensated," This
condition is corrected by shifting some.of the screws to holes
nearer the free ends of the balance wheel rim.
If the watch gains in heat as compared with its per-
formance in cold, it is termed "over-compensated." It has
_,' gained in heat, because the weight is carried too near the
center, thus virtually making the balance wheel smaller in
diameter. In cold the weight therefore will be carried too
,, are outward, and cause a slowing up. This is corrected by
shifting some of the screws away from the holes near the free
ends of the rim, As the balance wheel should always be poised
before it is placed in the movement, it is of course necessary·
( that the screws be shifted in pairs,
Part 4- Isochronal Adjustment
Adjustment to isochronism presents other problems
and tests, the aim being to obtain a rate as nearly uniform as
possible throughout the entire 24 hour run of the watch that
usually elapses between winding and rewinding. When completely
wound and under full power of the mainspring, the vibrations of
the balance wheel are larger than when a number of hours have
elapsed. The extent of the balance vibrations is greater when
the watch is lying in the dial-up or dial-down position, than
when it is hangi.ng or in the pocket of the wearer,
Adding to or reducing the mass of the balance wheel
varies the rate of vibrations for the strength of the hair-
spring does not change, There are three factors upon which the
time of the vibrations of the balance wheel depends, They are
( 1). the. wei~ht of the balance wheel, ( 2) the diameter of the
wheel, and (3) the strength of the hairspring. In every hair-
spring tp.ere is a certain· length in which the long and "Short
vibrations are practically isochronal. If this length is
ascertained and the hairspring is made shorter by whole coils
the short arcs will go faster, and if the hairspring is made '
longer by whole coils, the short arcs will go slower. The
shortentirig or lengthening is ·done only by whole coils, The
reason for this is if the hairspring is shortened by some por-
tion of a coil and not by whole coils, it may cause the short
arcs to produce a losing rate instead of a gaining rate,. A
hairspring that is practically isochronal as far as the length
 Lesson XI~ Page 48
is concerned, usually consists of about 13 coils,
\ On a flat hairspring the vibrations wholly on one
side and opposite the regulator pins and a similar motion takes
place opposite the inner terminal, These eccentric matings
affect the isochronism because. of various conditions. Tile
principal ones are a constant osdillation of the center of
gravity, a persistent pushing and pulling.at the balance pivots
and the effect of torsion which is a circular impulse that
takes place at the. innermost col.ls of the hairspring, The
result is a retardation or acceleration, depending on the
relative positions 01' the two eccentric motions, as the balance
wheel vibrates. The errors ·thus produced can be varied by ·
altering the length of the hairspring, The rules governing
this for a .flat hairspring, are as follows:
Whep the distance between the inner terminal arid the
regulatior pins stands at whole coils, the arcs gain. When the
distance is whole coils, plus k coil, the short arcs lose and
when the distance stands at whole coils plus¼ or 3/h of a
coil, the short arcs are more nearly isochronal.
The duty of the overcoil is to avoid any side bulging
during the expansion and to center all the coils concentrically
around the balance starf. Because of the variation in the
direction of the forces directed on the balance staff, as a
result of the continual motion of the inner pinning point at
,;·-,., the cqllet, and its relation to the outer pinning point at the
stud, it is a d.ebatable question whether a theoretically
correct form of overcoil has ever been developed, However, the
following rules for altering the overcoil may be used, To
make the watch run fast in the short arcs; bend the overcoil
in towards the balance staff, To make it run slow in the short
arcs bend it a:way from the staff.
To alter or reshape the overcoil, the overcoil
forming tweezers are used, Any alterations should be made
gradually for in bending the harispring is liable to be weail!E:lned
and p6ssible broden,