The Waterbury Watch Museum Repair \ "A Few Repairing Pointers" “A Few Repairing Pointers” “The Waterbury” September, 1893 Some questions in regard to repair operations have suggested a few brief simple pointers to guide in the repairing of our watches. It will be noted that the difference compared with lever movements is always in the line of simplicity. Winding and Starting The winding and staring mechanism of the Quick-Winding watches is so simple as to require no explanation, and seldom gets out of order. The parts may be cheaply replaced if required. When a dealer buys any watch he winds it, sets it, and trys it for a time for his own benefit, to see if it goes all right. This is all that is required with the Waterbury. With the “J” and “L” a circular motion is required to start the watch when wound. With other series a slight motion is also advised, though in most cases they will start when wound the same as a lever movement. Duplex Escapement Although the term “Duplex” has been regarded with prejudice, yet we have used this escapement in our watches for more than ten years with the very best results. That is the “proof of the pudding.” We do not claim that an ill made Duplex is better than a good lever movement, but we do claim that a good Duplex, like that in our Quick-Winding watches, is very much superior to the average cheaply-made, poorly fitted lever escapement. We claim an advantage at two important points. Simplicity and saving of power. The different parts in the lever escapement are ten to twelve in number, while in the Duplex there are only four. There is more fitting and inspection required in the lever, and there is very much more chance for something of importance to be overlooked and not corrected. Yet there is no more skill required in repair of a Duplex than in the lever, and the cost of material is much less. The power required to drive a watch having Duplex escapement is very much less than required for a lever movement. This makes it possible to use a much lighter mainspring, a very important point, as experience has fully demonstrated. The mainsprings in the Quick-Winding Waterbury watches very seldom break. If repair is needed with the escape wheel, it is simpler and cheaper to order a new one (wheel and pinion combined), and replace the old one. We finish the wheels on the pinion, and they may be depended upon to be true and round. Adjustment of the Escapement When at rest the escape wheel tooth should be nearly on a line with the center of the balance staff, or slightly to the right as you look from the balance to the escape wheel. The proper position for the impulse pin or pallet when the watch is in beat varies in different watches, as the depth of the lock of the long tooth of the escape on balance staff varies. But it should average about thirty degrees to the right of a line drawn through the center of the balance staff and escape staff. That is, when the watch is held in such position (with the top plate up) as to bring the balance and escape wheel staffs directly in line, the escape staff behind the balance staff - and consequently hidden by it - the impulse pin will be seen to the right of the balance staff, and at such distance as will require the rim of the balance to be turned through an arc of thirty degrees to bring the pin in line with the two staffs. If the pin is not in the position described, move the hairspring collet to get it in position. Broken Jewels Our rigid system of testing and inspecting makes it impossible for a watch to leave our factory with a jewel broken. Should any jewels be broken it is evidence that the watch has had hard usage, probably a fall. Jewels may be readily replaced in the Quick-Winding Waterbury watches. In other movements, where jewel screws are used to hold the jewels, the thread strips, and requires the use of an extra large screw, which in turn strips, and must be bushed or a still larger thread-screw used. This bother is all avoided with the Waterbury movements. In series “K”, “R”, or “W” it is only necessary to remove the cape from the balance bridge and push the jewel or end stone out. Another will fit in its place. Then screw on the cap and the job is done. If the lower jewel is broken take the plate apart. The lower plate is double and the jewel may be pressed out. Another can be put in in less time than is required with any other make of watch. In series “J”, “L”, and “N”, the balance bridge is a part of the plate. To replace the jewels in these watches this plate, which we call the upper bridge plate, may be taken off, the jewel pushed out, and a new one readily fitted. The removal of this upper bridge plate does not disturb the train. Endstone and jewel are both crowded in friction-tight only, and the socket that holds the jewels in the plate can be easily pushed out. Endshake In no other watch can the endshake to the balance be adjusted as it is in the Waterbury. Simply remove the dial and turn the endstone screw to get the result required. Stoppers Waterbury watches have light mainsprings - the lightest used in any watch. Having no stop works, this spring is sometimes wound up very tight until it is wedged together quite solid. In such cases it will not unwind very easily at the start. This tight winding will not occur except with those who wind a watch as long and as hard as they can, or until something breaks. By letting down a quarter of the coil it is free and will go at once. Spring may be let down by moving back the click, which is visible through small hole in the top plate. When a watch is returned for “stopping”, see that the customer has properly wound it, and started it when wound. It is a fact that when a watch is returned to the factory with a complaint that it “stops”, and “won’t run”, etc, it generally happens that we find absolutely nothing the matter with it, and that when properly wound and started it goes right off in first-class timekeeping shape. The head of a broken case screw may sometimes be found in the movement to stop it. This is, of course, is readily discovered if the watchmaker only looks into it. To Remove the Hands To guard against injury to the movement, first remove the dial plate. The hour and minute hands, combined with the hour wheel and cannon pinion, are all fitted to the dial plate. This plate simply sets on pins - there are no screws, and it is easily removed by forcing a case opener carefully under it. The hands are simply driven on the cannon pinion, and the minute hands may be forced off with the aid of a pair of cutting pliers. The hour hand will come off with very little effort. Notice if the cannon pinion or hour wheel have been injured, and put in new parts if necessary. Line up the hour and minute hands to figure XII, then move the hands slightly, so as to allow the cannon pinion and hour wheel to drop in place before forcing the dial plate down on the pins.