Design, materials and production are the main factors in the formation of consumer properties of watches (functional, ergonomic, etc.).

The most common clock designs are mechanical clocks - pendulum and balance. The mechanism of such watches consists of six main parts (assemblies) and additional assemblies. The main ones include the engine, transmission mechanism, regulator, descent, spring winding mechanism and transfer of arrows and pointer mechanism.

Engine. It is the source of energy that drives the entire watch mechanism.

Two types of engines are distinguished in mechanical watches: weight-bearing (in pendulum), which is called a weight drive, and spring (in balance).

Energy kettlebell engine is transmitted by the force of gravity of the lifted weight through the wheel system to the pendulum, which serves as a control regulator for the action of the escapement (stroke) of the clock. In a watch-clock, when the weight is lowered down, the chain rotates the wheel from left to right, which ensures the rotation of the entire wheel mechanism.

The kettlebell engine is the simplest in design (Fig. 10), it works only in stationary conditions. Compared to a spring-loaded kettlebell motor, it transmits forces (by lowering the kettlebell) through the wheel gear to the travel controller; such efforts are not always constant and this creates the stability of the engine.

Spring motor drives the clock with a wound spring, which transfers the energy supply through the wheel system and the stroke to the regulator, maintaining its oscillations (Fig. 11). This engine is usually found in portable clocks (wrist, pocket, alarm clocks, table and wall clocks), where the regulator is a balance with a hair (spiral). There may also be spring motors in some types of stationary clocks (in wall clocks and partially in desktop clocks), where the pendulum serves as a regulator.

There are engines with a drum and without a drum.

A spring motor with a drum is used in wrist, pocket, table and wall clocks, as well as in small alarm clocks. The drum is a cylindrical box, ending with a toothed rim along the outer perimeter. The spring, placed in the drum, is fastened with an inner coil to the roller by a hook, and with an outer coil - to the inner wall of the drum using a lining. The drum with the spring and axle installed in it is closed with a lid, which prevents dust from getting between the coils of the spring. In watches of a simplified design - alarm clocks, table and wall clocks - the winding spring does not have a drum, and one end of it is attached to the roller, and the other to one of the blocks of the mechanism. There are various ways of attaching the outer coil of the spring to the inner wall of the drum.

Mainsprings are made from a special iron-cobalt alloy or carbon steel with appropriate heat treatment. The spring must have elasticity along its entire length and uniform elasticity. From the mainspring, not only an elastic force is required that can set the watch mechanism in motion, but also a certain duration and stability of the watch from one full winding of the spring.

The duration of the watch depends on the thickness and length of the spring.

The working and design characteristic of the winding spring is its torque(the product of the elastic force of the spring and the number of revolutions). The spring has the greatest torque in the wound state, and in the process of operation, its moment decreases. The unevenness of the force generated by the spring during operation affects the accuracy of the clock, therefore, in the manufacture of their mainspring, they are calculated so that its torque for a given stroke duration is maximum.

transmission mechanism. This mechanism is called wheel system or gear train, as well as engagement. It consists of a series of gears, the number of which depends on the type of mechanism.

The gears propagate the movement and transmit the energy coming from the engine to the entire mechanism. The wheel and the tribe attached to it form a knot. The meshed wheel and pinion make up gear pair. The wheel has a larger diameter and makes less revolutions than the pinion. Compared to a pinion wheel, it has fewer teeth and does the same amount of more revs how many times its diameter is smaller than the diameter of the large wheel. The wheel is considered leading, and the tribe is driven.

In wrist and pocket watches, alarm clocks and some table clocks, the transmission mechanism consists of four gear pairs: a central wheel with a tribe, intermediate wheel with a pinion, a second wheel with a pinion and a pinion of the running (anchor) wheel.

The rotation of the wheel system is transmitted by the force of the wound spring from the drum to the road wheel. Each gear pair in engagement provides a certain gear ratio depending on the ratio of the diameters of the wheel and the pinion or on the ratio of the number of their teeth. The speed of rotation of the individual axes of the gear train is chosen in such a way that they are used to count the time in minutes and seconds. So, the axis of the central wheel makes one revolution per hour, and the second one - one revolution per minute.

The number of gear pairs of the transmission mechanism depends on the type of watch movement. So, table clocks with a 7- and 14-day winding have an additional wheel with a tribe, pendulum clocks with a 2-week winding also have an additional wheel, and for clock-clocks, the transmission mechanism consists of only two nodes - the central and intermediate wheels and the running tribe wheels,

The wheel system is going to platinum, which forms the base of the clockwork. Platinum is a massive brass plate compared to the parts of the assembled wheel system (Fig. 12). In addition to mounting holes pins(ends) of wheel axles, platinum in wrist and pocket watches has a whole series various shapes grooves, depressions and protrusions that increase its mechanical strength and make it possible to place clockwork parts in a relatively small area. Opposite ends of the axles of the wheels are fixed in holes bridges, which are shaped, somewhat massive parts, fixed with pins and screws on platinum.

In watch mechanisms of a simplified design, the ends of the axles rotate directly in the holes of plane trees and bridges.

To reduce friction and wear of the axles, high-quality watch movements use stone bearings made of synthetic corundum, which has the lowest coefficient of friction and high hardness (on the Mohs scale of 9).

watch stones divided into functional and non-functional.

The functional stone serves to stabilize friction or reduce the rate of wear of the contact surfaces of watch mechanism parts. Functional stones include: stones with holes that serve as radial or axial supports, or both at the same time; stones that contribute to the transmission of force or movement, or both at the same time, for example, the supports of an oscillatory system; stones without holes, serving as axial supports, etc.

Non-functional stones include: decorative stones and their substitutes; stones covering stone holes, but not being an axial support, such as an oiler; stones that serve as a support for moving parts, such as bill of exchange, clock, drum and transmission wheels, winding shaft, etc.; stones serving to limit the accidental displacement of an oscillating mass or serving as a support for a date disc, calendar disc, etc.

Watch stones are very tiny in size, they have different shapes: with a through cylindrical or non-cylindrical hole, with a small funnel-shaped recess on one side of the hole to hold the watch oil, false blind stones with a flat supporting surface (Fig. 13). The stones are pressed into the corresponding holes of the platinum and bridges, and the pins of the axis are installed in the holes of the stone.

Wristwatches, depending on the design, have from 15 to 33 stones, the number of which to a certain extent determines the quality of the watch.

Regulator. The regulator, or oscillatory system, in a mechanical watch is a pendulum or a balance with a spiral (hair).

Pendulum used only in stationary clocks. It consists of a rod, at the lower end of which there is a lens. The lens has the shape of a flat disk or lentil and usually rests on a nut, by turning which you can lower or raise the lens relative to the pendulum rod.

In simple pendulum clocks, a wire suspension is used for the pendulum.

In pendulum clocks of higher quality, spring suspensions are used in the form of one or two flat springs (Fig. 14), fixed at the ends with two brass blocks. The pads have steel pins protruding with their ends on both sides of the pad. The upper pin is fixed in a split bracket mounted on the back wall of the clock case, and a pendulum is hung on the lower pin of the block with a double hook.

To bring the clock into action, it is necessary to deviate the pendulum from the equilibrium position. The angle of deviation of the pendulum from the equilibrium position is called oscillation amplitude, and the time of a complete swing of the pendulum from the extreme right deviation to the extreme left and back is called period of oscillation.

The period of oscillation depends on the length of the pendulum rod. If the clock is behind, then the lens should be raised up, i.e., reduce the length of the pendulum, and thereby reduce the period of oscillation, and vice versa, if the clock is in a hurry, then the lens should be moved down, which increases the period of oscillation.

balance regulator used in portable watches (wrist, pocket, etc.). It is an oscillatory system in the form of a balance with a spiral.

The balance-spring system is one of the critical components of the watch mechanism.

The balance consists of a thin round rim with a crossbar mounted on a steel axle. Balances are screw and screwless. For screw balances, screws are screwed into the rim to balance the rim and to adjust the oscillation period when selecting the spiral (Fig. 15). Screwless balances are used in watches of modern design. Compared to screw ones, they have a smaller mass (weight), which reduces friction in the balance supports, a stronger rim, which is less susceptible to deformation; the absence of screws makes it possible to increase the outer diameter of the rim and, accordingly, increase the moment of inertia without increasing the mass of the balance.

The spiral (hair) is made of nickel alloy. This is an elastic spring, the inner end of which is embedded in a brass bushing called a spiral block. The block together with the spiral is put on (pressed) on the upper part of the balance axis, and the outer end of the spiral is pinned into the hole of the column located in the balance bridge.

Under the action of the energy (impulses) coming from the engine, the balance makes oscillatory movements, rotating, makes turns in one direction and the other - either starts or unwinds the spiral. In turn, then locked, then released wheel drive clock mechanism moves periodically. Such a movement can be observed in watches by the jump-like movement of the second hand.

The balance in most watches makes 9,000 complete oscillations per hour. The balance fluctuation period is measured in seconds; it is the time it takes the balance to make a full swing from the extreme left deviation to the extreme right and back. In wristwatches, the oscillation period is usually 0.4 s. There are wristwatches with a balance oscillation period of 0.36 or 0.33 and 0.20 s. For small-sized alarm clocks, the balance oscillation period is 0.4 s, for large ones - 0.5 or 0, 6 s.

The amplitude of balance fluctuations is measured in angular degrees from the equilibrium position of the balance to the left or to the right. The equilibrium position is considered to be such a balance position when the ellipse is on a straight line connecting the centers of rotation of the balance axis and the axis of the anchor fork. The equality of the right and left amplitudes is necessary condition accurate clock.

The period of oscillation of the balance can be adjusted by changing the length of the spiral with a thermometer.

Thermometer consists of an arrow pointer fixed on the balance bridge. In the tail part of the thermometer there are two pins, between which the outer coil of the spiral passes. The outer turn of the spiral, as mentioned above, is fixed in a column installed in the balance bridge. The pins of the thermometer form, as it were, the second attachment point of the outer coil of the spiral. By turning the thermometer in one direction or another, lengthen or shorten the length of the spiral, thereby changing the period of balance oscillation. When the spiral is lengthened, the oscillation period increases and the clock begins to lag, and when the spiral length is shortened, the oscillation period decreases and the clock begins to rush.

For the convenience of adjusting the accuracy of the clock, the signs "+" (speed up) and "-" (slow down) are put on the balance bridge. When the thermometer pointer moves towards the "+" sign, the pins located in the tail part of the thermometer move away from the column, shortening the length of the working part of the spiral.

Often a thermometer with a movable column is used, which improves the quality of the clock adjustment (Fig. 16). It consists of a column regulator and a thermometer itself with a pin and a lock. Together with the column regulator, the thermometer also rotates. By turning the thermometer relative to the spiral column regulator, the effective length of the spiral changes. This design of the thermometer provides a more accurate setting of the equilibrium position of the balance, called "pumping out the balance."

Descent(move). It is a watch mechanism assembly located between the gear train and the regulator. The descent is a running device that serves to periodically transfer engine energy to the regulator to maintain its uniform oscillation and, accordingly, uniform rotation of the wheels.

Running devices are of two types - anchor and cylinder.

Anchor (in the lane with it. Anker - bracket) move can be non-free and free.

Not free escape route used in stationary clocks with a pendulum regulator. The move consists of an anchor wheel and an anchor fork (bracket) axis fixed on the roller with curved ends, called pallets: input at the left end, output at the right (Fig. 17). In the non-free undercarriage the regulator during oscillation constantly interacts with the details of the descent.

The principle of operation of the non-free escape wheel is that when the pendulum is deflected to the left, the left (input) pallet rises and at the same time the right (output) pallet falls between the teeth of the escape wheel. The anchor wheel gets the opportunity to turn one tooth. The oscillations of the pendulum create a continuous cycle of uniform movement of the clock mechanism.

The type of non-free descents also includes a cylindrical course. It consists of a running wheel with figured (in the form of trihedral heads) teeth and a hollow cylinder with a balance mounted on it. The cylinder escapement is missing intermediate between the running (cylinder) wheel and the travel controller (balance). The running wheel directly affects the balance assembly. The cylinder, which is the axis of the balance, has side cutouts forming, on the one hand, the inlet and outlet impulse jaws, and on the other hand, a cutout - a pass for the passage of the figured leg of the tooth of the running (cylinder) wheel. The teeth of the travel wheel for the entire period of balance fluctuations are in interaction with the cylinder.

The domestic industry does not manufacture watches with a cylinder escapement, since this watch design is considered technically and morally obsolete.

Free anchor passage There are two types - pin and pallet.

At the pin run, the anchor fork is made of brass, and steel pins serve as input and output pallets (Fig. 18). Such a move is used in ordinary alarm clocks, as well as in table clocks with an alarm clock mechanism.

The pallet move (Fig. 19) is used in wrist, pocket, table and wall clocks, partly in chess and alarm clocks (in small-sized ones manufactured by the Second Moscow Watch Factory). The travel consists of a steel running (anchor) wheel with a tribe, a steel anchor fork with two pallets and a double roller mounted on the balance axis. This should also include two restrictive pins fixed in the platinum of the clockwork.

The anchor wheel has teeth of a special shape, the flat top of these teeth is called the plane of momentum (moment), and the side surface of the teeth is called the plane of rest.

The anchor fork has two arms with grooves. Pallets made of synthetic ruby ​​and a shank (tail part of the fork) are inserted into them, equipped at the end with two safety horns and a rectangular groove, in the middle of which there is a safety spear.

The pallets also have, like the escape wheel teeth, impulse and rest planes, which interact with the same planes of the escape wheel teeth.

The inner sides of the horns of the shank are planes interacting with the impulse stone (ellipse).

The anchor wheel and the anchor fork are mounted on steel axles.

A double roller is mounted on the balance axis. The double roller has two rollers: upper (large) and lower (small). The top roller carries the impulse stone. The lower roller has a cylindrical recess located under the ellipse. This roller interacts with the lance of the anchor fork and is a safety one.

The principle of operation of the free anchor pallet move is as follows. Under the force of the mainspring, the escape wheel tends to rotate and, through its tooth, exerts pressure on the input pallet, pressing the shank against the stop pin. Under the action of the spiral, the balance oscillates freely and introduces an ellipse into the groove of the anchor fork. The ellipse strikes against the inner surface of the right horn of the shank, and the fork rotates through the angle of rest. The escape wheel tooth moves from the plane of rest to the impulse plane of the input pallet, the left horn of the fork moves away from the limit pin, and the impulse transfer from the escape wheel through the fork to the balance begins. For a full period of balance oscillation, the escape wheel will rotate one tooth.

The mechanism of winding the spring and the translation of the arrows. This mechanism, called repairman, is a watch mechanism assembly consisting of a number of parts. The assembly engages the winding shaft with the pointer mechanism (when the hands are turned) or engages the winding shaft with the spring winding assembly.

In common designs of the wrist watch mechanism, the assembly of winding the spring and transferring the hands consists of the following parts: a winding shaft with a crown screwed on its outer end; a winding tribe loosely seated on the cylindrical part of the winding shaft, and a cam (winding) clutch with freedom of longitudinal displacement is installed on the square section of the winding shaft; winding lever; crank springs; clockwork (crown) wheel; winding wheel lining; transfer lever; fixing springs; two transfer wheels - small and large.

The winding pinion and the cam clutch have oblique end teeth with which they come into contact with each other. The cam clutch has an annular groove, which includes the tail of the crank.

When translating the hands, the crown is pulled out, the winding lever moves the cam clutch down until it engages with the small transfer wheel, which transmits the movement to the large transfer wheel, and the latter rotates the bill wheel with the bill tribe. The bill wheel rotates the minute, and the tribe - the hour wheel. The locking spring is used to fix the positions of the transfer lever.

After moving the hands by pressing the crown, the winding shaft returns to its normal position, the transfer lever moves, and the locking spring fixes it in this position. The released winding lever moves the cam clutch up until its teeth engage with the teeth of the winding tribe.

To wind the spring, the crown is rotated clockwise. Together with the winding shaft, the cam clutch and the winding pinion rotate. The latter rotates the drum wheel through the winding wheel and thus winds the spring. The drum wheel has a locking (ratchet) device, which is called a pawl with a spring. This device interacts with the teeth of the drum wheel and serves to fix the drum from the reverse untwisting of the mainspring.

When winding the spring, the pawl comes out of the teeth of the drum and slides over their surface. When the winding stops, the pawl, under the action of the spring under it, engages with the teeth of the drum and does not allow the drum to spin in the opposite direction.

In table clocks and alarm clocks, the spring is wound using a key acting on the drum shaft, and the hands are moved using a button mounted on the axis of the central wheel. The crown and button are located on the back of the case.

In wall and some types of desktop clocks, the spring is wound with a removable key from the side of the dial, and the hands are moved by hand by rotating them from left to right.

Pointer mechanism. It is located on the sub-dial side of the platinum and consists of a minute tribe, a bill wheel with a tribe and an hour wheel.

Minute tribe in the turnout gear, it is the main part that ensures the movement of the entire turnout mechanism. The minute pinion is mounted on the axle of the central wheel and frictionally coupled with the axle. Friction fit is achieved by the fact that there is a radial groove on the axis of the central wheel, and the sleeve of the minute tribe is equipped with two internal protrusions that enter this groove when the tribe is installed on the axle. With a friction fit, the minute tribe rotates freely on the central axis during the transfer of the hands and does not cause the clock mechanism to brake.

On the sleeve of the minute tribe is installed with freedom of rotation hour wheel. The protruding part of the hour wheel sleeve carries the hour hand, and the protruding part of the minute tribe sleeve carries the minute hand. Thus, the minute hand is located above the hour hand.

bill wheel, mounted on the axis, has a clutch with a minute pinion, and the pin of the bill wheel is coupled with the hour wheel.

When translating the arrows, the cam clutch through the transfer wheels receives a clutch with the bill of exchange wheel, which in turn transmits the movement to the minute, and the tribe of the bill of exchange wheel to the hour. After the transfer of the arrows is completed, the cam clutch disengages from the transfer wheel, and the switch mechanism begins to receive movement from the axis of the central wheel.

The general structure and interaction of individual components of the wristwatch mechanism are given in fig. 20.

Additional devices of clock mechanisms. The clock uses various additional devices associated with the operation of the main mechanism.

In ordinary wrist and pocket watches, the balance supports are through and applied stones pressed into the platinum and the balance bridge, as well as into the overlays. Such supports are rigid.

Modern watches use anti-shock devices(Fig. 21) in the form of a depreciation block built according to a specific design scheme. The anti-shock device protects the balance axis from breakage in case of possible sharp shocks and accidental fall of the watch from a height of about 1.2 m onto a wooden floor.

The principle of operation of the most common anti-shock devices is as follows. The trunnions (ends) of the balance axis, as usual, are located in through and superimposed stones, fixed in a bushon (metal frame of a stone). The bush with stones, inserted into the conical socket of the lining, is held by an elastic spring, which creates a shock-absorbing support, thereby protecting the pin of the balance axis from impact.

stopwatch device It is designed to measure short periods of time and is used in wrist and pocket watches.

Wristwatches with a stopwatch, produced by the First Moscow Watch Factory, are called the Poljot 3017 chronograph watch. more complex than conventional watches with a central second hand. In addition to the hour, minute and central second hand, which is considered chronograph, there are two additional hands and, accordingly, two additional scales on the dial: the left one is a small second scale and the right one is a counter with 45 divisions. Summing up stopwatch, 0.2 s division value of the chronograph scale. You can measure individual time intervals ranging from 0.2 to 45 s with an accuracy of ±0.3 s for a minute and ±1.5 s for 45 minutes.

The dial of such watches along the edge of the circle has two additional scales designed to measure quantities that are functionally dependent on time: the speed scale is red and the distance scale is blue.

The speed scale shows the speed of the object in kilometers per hour and is designed for speeds ranging from 600 to 1000 km/h. Using this scale, you can get the value of the speed of movement of a car, motorcycle, bicycle, train and other moving objects, provided that the distance between the two measured points is known.

The distance scale of the dial serves to measure the distance separating the observer from the phenomenon, which is perceived first by sight and then by hearing. The distance scale is based on the speed of sound propagation in air, equal to 330.7 m/s, or 1200 km/h.

They control the operation of the stopwatch device using two buttons: one for starting and stopping, the second for setting the arrows to zero. Arrows - second chronograph and minute counter - return to zero division of the scale from any position on the dial.

Such watches are used in sports competitions, medicine, laboratory work, etc.

A pocket watch with a stopwatch device of the Molniya model produced by the Chelyabinsk Watch Factory is called a pocket chronograph. They are designed to measure time in hours, minutes, seconds and to count short (up to 45 minutes) time intervals in seconds. Stopwatch with jump second hand every 0.2 s. Mechanism with escapement on 19 ruby ​​stones. The control of the second hand is two-button: start and stop - with one button above the number 11, return to zero - with the second button above the number 1.

The duration of the watch from one full winding of the spring with the stopwatch turned on is at least 24 hours and with the stopwatch turned off - at least 36 hours.

calendar device happens in hours various designs. The simplest constructive version of a calendar device is a digitized disk mounted under the dial. The disk has an internal crown consisting of 31 teeth of a trapezoidal or triangular shape. The daily wheel, coupled with the hour wheel, makes one revolution per day and with its leading finger once a day engages with the teeth of the digitized disk, moving it one division. Through a miniature square window in the dial, you can see the numbers of the disc. Sometimes a miniature lens is mounted above the window in the glass of the watch to make it easier to read the calendar readings. Mechanical date change occurs every 24 hours.

Calendar devices come with a slow change of readings and instant action - with a jump in dates. The readings are corrected using the crown simultaneously with the transfer of the minute and hour hands. They also make wristwatches with a double calendar, showing the days of the month and the days of the week.

Automatic winding springs are used in watches produced by the domestic watch industry (Fig. 22). The automatic winding mechanism is located above the watch movement bridges. Automatic winding is a device in the form of an inertial weight, having the shape of a half-disk, freely rotating on an axis. The inertial load is made of heavy metals. The bushing of the inertial weight has a pinion, which, by means of two pairs of wheels and pinions, is connected to the winding wheel mounted on the axis of the drum with freedom of rotation. On the same axis, the drum wheel can rotate freely.

Between the drum and winding wheels, two three-leaf springs (upper and lower) with bent ends are installed on the drum shaft, which has a square section. The ends of these springs enter the recesses made on the drum and clockwork wheels. The rotation of the inertial weight with a wave of the hand while walking or with a change in the position of the hand causes the winding wheel to rotate. The upper three-leaf spring, being in the recesses, captures the winding wheel and transfers rotation to the shaft of the winding spring, and thus the spring is wound; the lower three-leaf spring in this case slips along the inner surface of the drum wheel.

The mainspring can also be wound in the usual way through the crown of the watch. When using the crown, the spring will be wound by the lower three-lobed spring, the ends of which, sinking into the grooves of the drum wheel, will rotate the shaft with the winding spring, while the upper three-lobed spring will slide along the inner surface of the winding wheel.

The advantage of self-winding wristwatches is that the constant automatic winding of the spring engine occurs when the hand moves.

Automatic winding of the spring after using the watch on the wrist for 10 hours ensures its normal operation for the following duration: for watches of an increased class of the 4th group - at least 22 hours; for hours of the increased class of the 1st-3rd groups and the 1st class of the 3rd and 4th groups - not less than 18; for hours of the 1st class of the 1st and 2nd groups and the 2nd class - at least 16 hours.

Such watches practically do not require winding the spring with the crown, because thanks to the automatic winding, the mechanism works continuously. When the watch is lying down and the automatic winding is not working, the energy consumption for the operation of the mechanism is compensated during the subsequent wearing of the watch on the wrist.

anti-magnetic device to protect the watch from magnetic fields, it is a casing made of thin electrical steel with high magnetic permeability. The magnetic field, concentrating on a magnetically permeable metal, does not penetrate into the casing. This protective cover is called a magnetic shield, which reliably protects the steel parts of the mechanism from magnetization.

To reduce the influence of the magnetic field in the watch, the balance spiral (hair) is made from a weakly magnetic alloy H42KhT.

To protect the mechanism from the penetration of the smallest dust, from corrosion due to high humidity or from the penetration of water, watch cases are made dustproof,splashproof and waterproof. The dust-proof case should protect the movement from dust penetration, splash-proof from water splashes, and waterproof from water penetration when the watch is immersed in water at a depth of 1 m for 30 minutes or at a depth of 20 m for 1.5 minutes.

Such housings usually have a screwed cap or a cap that is fixed in the housing ring with an additional threaded ring. The tightness of the connection between the cover and the body ring is achieved by means of a polyvinyl chloride gasket placed in the annular groove of the body ring. The winding shaft is sealed with a bushing installed in the hole of the case ring or in the bore of the crown. For watertight housings, a tight connection between the glass and the housing ring is ensured by using an additional metal threaded ring.

There are cases in which the cover and the case ring are one-piece (made as one piece), and the mechanism is installed on the side of the glass. The connection between the glass and the housing ring is achieved by a threaded rim. Tightness in such housings is ensured by means of tension or sealing rings.

Combat mechanics serving sound signals in accordance with the indications of the arrows, they are used in wrist, pocket, table, wall, floor and alarm clocks. Mechanisms are of several types.

The signaling device of the wrist watch "Polyot" 2612, produced by the First Moscow Watch Factory, is driven by its own spring engine. The winding of the spring motor of the signaling device and the installation of the signal hand are carried out using the second crown, located on the watch case. The duration of the signal from one full winding of the signal spring is at least 10 s.

The alarm device in alarm clocks, as well as in wristwatches, has an independent source of energy, i.e., a winding spring. The principle of operation of the signaling device of the alarm clock is almost the same as similar devices of a wrist watch - the signal is given at a predetermined time by a signal arrow.

In large-sized clocks (desk, wall and floor clocks), a signaling device is widely used by striking one or more hammers on a sound spring or sound rods. The fighting mechanism is a device with its own source of energy (winding spring or weight) and a speed regulator. Depending on the design, mechanisms are distinguished that beat only whole hours, hours, half hours and quarters of an hour.

The sound spring is a wire spiral, the inner end of which is pressed into the block. The sound rod is attached to a special block. Several sound rods (two or four) are usually fixed into the block, while the mechanism has the corresponding number of percussion hammers.

A more complex design is the mechanisms of the battle with quarters of an hour. Thus, floor pendulum clocks have three independent kinematic chains, each with its own weight drive: the movement mechanism occupies a middle position, the clock strike mechanism is located to the right, and the quarter hour strike mechanism is to the left of the clock movement mechanism. These mechanisms are placed between two brass rectangular plates.

signaling device wall clock with fight and "cuckoo" represents the most simple mechanism of fight. This mechanism strikes hours and half hours. Each blow of the battle is accompanied by cuckooing and the appearance of a cuckoo figurine in the opening window above the dial. The mechanism of fighting and cuckooing consists of two wooden whistles, in the upper part of which there are bellows with lids. These furs and at the same time the hammer are actuated with the help of wire levers. When the lids are raised, the furs take in air, and when lowered, a jet of air creates a cuckoo sound by means of a whistle. The cuckoo figurine, fixed on the rotary lever, at the beginning of the battle moves out into the window, and the lever of one of the furs pushes it and it bows.

Autoquartz movement- combination of automatic and quartz movement. As a result of everyday hand movements, the generator charges the watch's mini-battery. The energy of a fully charged battery is enough for 50-100 days uninterrupted operation hours.

Automatic movement- Watches with this mechanism wind up automatically. In simple mechanical watches, the spring is wound by turning the crown. The self-winding system almost eliminates this need. A metal weight in the form of a sector, fixed on the axis, rotates with any movement of the watch in space, winding the spring. The load must be heavy enough to overcome the resistance of the spring. To avoid rewinding and breakage of the mechanism, a special protective clutch is installed, which slips when the spring is wound up enough.

Automatic adjustment of movement steadiness- a term denoting the automatic adjustment of the position of the anchor relative to the escape wheel in the event of oscillations of the pendulum with an increased amplitude. Due to the precise selection of friction between the anchor, the anchor axis and the additional disk, it is possible to achieve a uniform tick-tock sound after the end of the period of oscillation of the pendulum with an increased amplitude.

Automatic night delivery sound and melody (Automatic night delivery sound)- a function on clocks with a strike, repeaters, or carillons, which allows you to turn off the sound notification of the time for the night period. It is an additional mechanism that interrupts a melody or battle.

Automatic switching melodies (Automatic tune changer)- an additional function in repeater watches or carillons that changes the playing melody after every hour.

Academy of Independent Watch Manufacturers (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI)- a society founded by Svend Andersen (Svend Andersen) and Vincent Calabrese (Vincent Calabrese) in 1985. The goal of this society was the desire to revive the traditional craft art of watchmaking, equivalent to the industrial production of mechanical watches. The community is located in the commune of Wichtrach in the canton of Bern. AHCI is an international organization and currently has 36 members and 5 candidates from more than 12 different countries, which make a wide variety of types of mechanical watches (wrist, pocket, table, musical, and pendulum clocks)

diamond- crystallized carbon, the hardest substance in the world. Subsequently, a special cut acquires a unique brilliance and is called a diamond. Often used to decorate wristwatches of the upper price category.

Altimeter- a device that determines the height above sea level due to changes in atmospheric pressure. The level of atmospheric pressure affects the accuracy of the watch. With an increase in altitude and a decrease in pressure, the air resistance in the watch case decreases, the frequency of oscillations increases, and the watch begins to work ahead, “hurry”.

Shock absorbers- parts of the anti-shock system of the clockwork, designed to protect the axes of the parts of the mechanism from breakage under impulse loads.

Analog Display- Display, time using the relative movement of the marker and plate (usually hands and dial).

Analogue watch- watches in which the time indication is carried out with the help of arrows.

Anchor mechanism (anchor) (Escapement)- part of the clock mechanism, consisting of an escape wheel, a fork and a balance, and converting the energy of the mainspring into impulses transmitted to the balance to maintain a strictly defined period of oscillation, which is necessary for the uniform rotation of the gear mechanism.

Antimagnetic properties (Antimagnetic)- A type of watch that is not subject to magnetic influence.

Nonmagnetic watch- watches in which a special alloy is used to make the case, which protects the watch from magnetization.

Aperture- a small window in the dial, which shows the current date, day of the week, etc.

Applique- numbers or symbols carved from metal and attached to the dial.

Astronomical watch- watches with additional indications on the dial, showing the phases of the moon, the time of sunrise and sunset, or the movement pattern of the planets and constellations.

Atmosphere (atm.)- unit of pressure. Often used in the watch industry to indicate the level of water resistance of a watch. 1 atmosphere (1 ATM) corresponds to a depth of 10.33 meters.

The gears of mechanical watches have always had the dual task of supplying energy to the oscillator and counting its vibrations. Many design options have been preserved - from a simple three-wheeled system with shafts in the same plane (for balancing watches) and a conventional arrangement and a system with a central second hand to complex mechanisms that indicate the date and other calendar and astronomical data.

Rice. 28.
a– with minute wheel ( 1 - drive wheel 2 - spring drum 3 - minute wheel 4 - minute tribe, 5 - intermediate tribe, 6 - intermediate wheel 7 - second tribe, 8 - seconds wheel 9 - trigger tribe, 10 - trigger wheel);
b– without minute wheel ( 1 - spring drum 2 - drive wheel 3 - replacement wheel 4 - the second intermediate wheel, 5 - second intermediate tribe, 6 - the first intermediate tribe, 8 - Trib of the escape wheel)

On fig. 28a shows two main types of watch gears. The first of these is simpler, and we meet with cheap watches with a Black Forest, or pin, escapement. To drive the pointer mechanism here is special wheel on a spring drum. The second mechanism (Fig. 28b) with a minute wheel is somewhat more complicated, from which, in this case, the movement of the hour hand is derived. The watch mechanism with a central second hand is even more complicated. Even with a cursory examination of these movements, one can see how long the movement with one winding of the watch was expected by the manufacturer of these watches. (On the mechanisms shown in Fig. 28, it can be seen that these are mechanisms with a one-day course.) In order for the clock to run longer with the same length of the spring, it is necessary to increase the overall gear ratio and place another one between the drive wheel of the spring drum shaft and the tribe on the minute wheel shaft. or two additional wheels with tribes.

Watch gears are very different from the involute gears used in general mechanical engineering, as cycloid gearing has taken root in watchmaking. The production of gear parts was one of the most difficult handicrafts in the early period of watchmaking. After cutting the gaps on the circumference of the wheel, the straight sides of the teeth were left and their heads were slightly rounded. With a few exceptions, it was about the production of wheels with end teeth.

In large tower clocks, the rim with teeth was riveted or welded onto the radial shoulders of the hub. Small wheels with several teeth (usually less than 15) - tribes - were developed in several ways. For medium and large watches, these were mainly tubular tribes, and the tribes of small watches had a cycloidal gear train. There were several arguments in favor of cycloidal gearing. Recall that hourly gears always alternate between the gearing of a pair of wheels and the tribe. Since the pinion usually has a very small number of teeth, when meshing with a large gear with involute teeth, large fluctuations in the drive force occur. With a cycloidal gear train, the power transmission conditions are more favorable when the prescribed distances between the axes of the gear wheels are carefully maintained. To further improve meshing, it is useful to correct the teeth by lowering their heads and simplifying their profile curves, which allows you to approach the ideal state in which a pair of gears transfers equally large force at the beginning and at the end of their meshing. The next advantage of cycloidal gearing is its great ease of manufacture.

Tower clocks and the first floor, wall and portable clocks had gear wheels made of iron. Later, the more advantageous qualities of bronze wheels began to be used. The tribes have always been steel, and in places of greatest load they were hardened. Tooth surfaces, especially for pinions, have always been polished to reduce frictional losses. Along with tubular tribes, milled tribes were made in the best small-sized watches (often from semi-finished bar products). For large wheels, the tribes were riveted, and for smaller clocks, the riveted set was usually only mounted on the corrugated surface of the shaft. Since the tribes have always been among the most stressed parts of watches, it is possible to determine the time until which these watches were in use and the degree of their operational reliability by the degree of their wear.

As soon as we want to know a little more about the subject of our passion, watches, it is necessary to operate with the basic definitions found in watch literature. And if an inexperienced reader can easily imagine what a “case” or a “transparent back cover” is, then the content of the internal filling of the watch, the clockwork, can confuse even a person who understands what is at stake. But nevertheless, poorly representing how it all works, at least in the first approximation. So, what does the clockwork consist of (of course, we will talk primarily about mechanical watches) and what are its main components.

Platinum(English - bottom plate; French - Platine (châssis du mouvement)) - the base of the clock mechanism, on which its various parts are attached. It is equipped with a certain number of holes, some of which are designed for screws that fasten parts of the mechanism to the platinum, and some are for installing (pressing in) stones. Each stone serves as a support for the lower trunnion of the gear wheel axis, located between the platinum and the bridge.

Bridge(English - Bridge, French - Pont) - a part of the mechanism that is screwed to the platinum and serves as a support for attaching the upper trunnion of the axis of the gear wheel (several wheels) or the shaft. As a rule, its name comes from the type of function for which it is used, for example, an escapement bridge, a balance bridge, a barrel bridge, etc. The material for platinum plates and bridges in most cases is brass, but nickel silver and even gold are not uncommon. It is curious that bridges of large area, occupying a significant area of ​​the mechanism, were called three-quarter plates.

A rock(English - Jewel; French - Rubis) is a hard synthetic material, a type of corundum. It is indispensable as a support for the rotating elements of the mechanism, minimizing friction between parts. At the dawn of watchmaking, natural rubies were widely used for this purpose, but now they have been completely replaced by artificial stones. At the same time, stones can either be cut entirely from a crystal, or pressed from a powder in a more budgetary version.

An important component for protecting the balance axes and selected gears from deformation at the time of shock loads is the shock absorption system in the form of springs located on top of the stones. The most popular systems today are Incabloc, KIF Parechoc and their analogues.

Gear(English - Wheel, Toothed Wheel; French - Roue) is a circular component that rotates around its axis and serves to transfer energy. The gear wheel is equipped with a certain number of teeth designed to mesh with the pinion of the adjacent gear wheel. Mostly made from brass.

tribe(English - pinion; French - Pignons) - watch part, part of the wheel drive. Consists of an axle, trunnions, seat under gear and teeth ("leaves") tribe. The number of the latter can vary from 6 to 14 units. Material - hardened stainless steel.

axle trunnion(English - Pivot; French - Pivot) - the end of the axis, located at the point of contact with the support (ruby stone). Carefully polished to reduce friction between mating surfaces. High-quality polishing of this element is a sign the highest level finishing of the mechanism.

wheel drive(English - Gear Train; French - engagement) - a system of interconnected gears and pinions, which serves to transfer the energy flow. Thus, the main wheel gear transfers energy from the barrel through the escapement and the balance-spring oscillatory system. In its simplest form, it includes the barrel, center pinion, center wheel, third pinion wheel, fourth pinion wheel, and escapement pinion.

clockwork drum(English - barrel; French - Barillet) - a hollow cylinder with a lid and a mainspring located inside, which is attached at one end to the outer part of the cylinder, and at the other - to the barrel shaft. The toothed part of the device is engaged with the first pinion of the main wheel drive. The barrel is characterized by very slow rotation around its axis ( full turn 1/9 to 1/6 hour).

Trigger mechanism(English - Escapement; French - Échappement) - a mechanism located between the balance-spiral oscillatory system and the main wheel drive. His task is to discretize the continuous flow of energy at equal intervals and transfer it to the impulse stone of balance. The vast majority of modern mechanisms are equipped with a Swiss anchor escapement as the most unpretentious and reliable. It consists of an escapement (anchor) wheel and an anchor fork, which engages with it by means of two ruby ​​pallets. A growing number of manufacturers are making it their business to use silicon escapement parts instead of traditional hardened steel components.

Thanks to advances in materials science and modern technology, it is not uncommon for watch brands to experiment with the introduction of more advanced single-pulse escapements, such as the Audemars Piguet escapement or the Jaeger-LeCoultre isometric escapement. Their share is not high, but they are, albeit not cheap, but a very interesting alternative to the Swiss escapement.

The Co-Axial escapement, invented by George Daniels and now commercialized by Omega, deserves special mention.

Balance(English - Balance; French - Balancier) - the moving part of the mechanism, which oscillates around its axis with a certain frequency, which makes it possible to divide time into strictly equal intervals. The balance oscillation consists of two semi-oscillations. The most typical value of the frequency of balance fluctuations in the mechanisms of modern wristwatches are the values ​​of 18'000 vph/h, 21'600 vph/h, 28'800 vph/h. sign high class It is considered the balance of Glucidur (Glucidur), an alloy of beryllium bronze, but often the use of other materials - titanium, gold, platinum-iridium alloy.

Home qualitative characteristic balance, affecting the isochronism (homogeneity) of oscillations, is the moment of inertia, the value of which is closely related to the diameter of the balance and its mass. A heavy and large balance is the key to high accuracy of the mechanism, however, in this form it is most susceptible to mechanical stress, so finding a reasonable compromise between the size of the balance and a high moment of inertia is always a difficult task for a design engineer.

Spiral of balance(English - balance-spring; French - Spiral) is the second integral component of the balance-spring oscillatory system, the “heart” of mechanical watches. It is produced by a few factories, and the exact secret of the alloy is kept behind seven locks. The Nivarox alloy is the most widely used, although experiments with other materials, such as silicon, have recently become increasingly popular.

It is important to note that the oscillation period, and hence the accuracy of the movement, can be adjusted both with the help of a spiral (by changing its effective length) and with the help of a balance wheel. In the latter case, we are talking about the popular balances with variable inertia (free-sprung balance), which is carried out with the help of adjustable screws located on the rim of the balance wheel.

Pointer mechanism(English - motion works; French - Minuterie) - a wheel gear located on the side of the dial and responsible for transmitting movement from the main wheel system to the hour and minute hands. Consists of the tribe of the minute hand ( Cannon Pinion), a minute (bill) wheel with a tribe and an hour wheel.

The mechanism of the winding and translation of arrows(English - Time-setting and winding mechanism; French - Remontoir) is a system of interconnected components designed to perform two important functions: setting the time by moving the hands and manually winding the barrel spring. Most parts of the mechanism are designed to perform both one and the other function.

When the mechanism is manually wound, the rotation of the winding shaft (Winding stem) through the winding (Winding pinion) and sliding (Sliding pinion) tribes is transmitted to the crown wheel (Crown wheel), directly connected to the ratchet wheel (Ratchet wheel), located on the shaft of the barrel barrel. The rotation of the shaft tightens the mainspring, giving it the energy needed to run the clockwork.

In the case of the transfer of the hands, pulling the winding shaft causes the rocker (Yoke) under the action of the setting lever (Setting lever) to bring the sliding pinion into engagement with the intermediate wheel (Intermediate wheel), which, in turn, is interconnected with the minute wheel of the pointer mechanism.

It is important to note that in addition to manual winding mechanisms, there is a separate and very extensive class of automatic winding mechanisms. In this case, the winding barrel is replenished with energy by means of a self-winding rotor and a specialized wheel transmission.

Winding rotor- a semicircular segment rotating around the central axis of the mechanism (in the case of a central rotor). As a rule, the rotor itself or its peripheral weight is made of a material with a high density (gold, platinum, etc.) to improve the efficiency of the self-winding system. In addition to the central rotor, there are solutions with a micro-rotor, as well as a number of developments with a peripheral rotor.

In conclusion, it is important to mention that along with the definition of "mechanism" in watchmaking, the term Caliber(English, French - Caliber), which is now essentially synonymous with movement among watchmakers. It should also be noted that the diameter of gauges that are round in shape are very often indicated in lines and denoted by a triple apostrophe symbol after the number (‘ ‘ ‘), for example 11 ½ ‘ ‘ ‘ (11 and a half lines). To convert to the usual metric measurement system, one should be guided by the ratio 1 line \u003d 2.2558 mm (often the value is rounded up to 2.26 mm).

What do the individual parts of the watch mechanism look like and what are the main malfunctions of these parts (for mechanical watches)

Since quite often the reason for the watch to stop is the contamination of the mechanism, the drying of oil, the penetration of moisture into the watch case, etc., sometimes it is enough to simply disassemble the watch, while washing or lubricating its mechanism. The watch device is shown in fig. 1.

Rice. 1. Kinematic and schematic diagram of the clock mechanism:

1 - balance;	20 - second wheel;	40 - clockwork lever;
2 - double roller;	21 - pinion of the second wheel;	41 - a spring of the winding lever;
3 - axis of balance;	22 - second hand;	42 and 43 - transfer wheels;
4 - through stone;	23 - intermediate wheel;	44 - bill of exchange wheel;
5 and 6 - stones laid on and impulse;	24 - pinion of the intermediate wheel;	45 - pinion of the bill wheel;
7 - a spear;	25 - central wheel;	46 - clock wheel;
8 - restrictive pins;	26 - pinion of the central wheel;	47 - hour hand;
9 - anchor fork;	27 - drum;	48 - minute hand
10 - anchor fork axis;	28 - winding spring;	49 - trib of the minute hand (minute watch)
11 and 12 - flights input and output;	29 - drum shaft;
13 - spiral;	30 - xiphoid overlay;
14 - a spiral block;	31 - drum wheel;
15 and 16 - adjusting thermometer pins;	32 - doggy;
17 - anchor wheel;	33 - pawl spring;
18 - through stone;	34 - cam clutch;
19 - anchor wheel pinion;	35 - clockwork wheel;
	36 - clockwork tribe;
	37 - clockwork shaft;
	38 - transfer lever;
	39 - spring of the transfer lever (retainer);

Platinum

Platinum is a special base on which all parts of the watch mechanism are attached. To fasten parts in platinum, recesses and protrusions (borings) are made. Accordingly, the shape and dimensions of platinum depend on the shape and size of the watch. Platinum is usually made from brass.

In order to strengthen the rotating parts, bridges are needed, which are special brass plates of various shapes and sizes. For example, in a mechanical watch, the following parts are attached with bridges: a wheel system, a balance system, an anchor fork, and a drum. In the event that the watch has additional devices (calendar, winding, etc.), they are also mounted on bridges.

Engine parts

The engine is the source of energy for mechanical watches. There are two types of engines - kettlebell and spring.

Kettlebell engines can only work in stationary conditions and are large in size, so they are used in the construction of floor, wall, as well as tower and other large clocks.

Spring motors more compact and more diverse than kettlebells, but less accurate. Such an engine consists of a drum, its shaft and a mainspring. Engines can differ in the design of both the springs themselves and the design of the drum. The drum may be movable or stationary. If the drum is movable, then the mainspring is fixed on it, if it is stationary, the spring is mounted on the shaft, which rotates, while the drum remains fixed. As a rule, the fixed drum motor is mainly used in large-sized mechanisms.

In clocks of a simplified design, such as alarm clocks, spring motors without drums can sometimes be used. In this case, the spring is attached directly to the shaft.

Drum spring motor consists of housing, cover and shaft. The case looks like a cylindrical metal box, at the lower edge of which there is a toothed rim. A shaft hole is located at the bottom of the housing. The same hole is on the drum cover. In addition, a groove for opening the lid is located on the edge of the lid.

The mainspring is attached to the shaft with a special hook. The outer end of the spring is attached to the drum with a lock. The duration of the watch from one factory depends precisely on the spring, i.e. on its size.

All mainsprings, except those made of stainless steel, are subject to corrosion. It can occur due to moisture or dust getting on the spring. The mainspring, along with the hooks of the drum and main shaft, the teeth of the drum and drum wheel and spring pawl, are the most commonly broken parts of a spring engine.

The first operation in the repair of the engine is the opening of the drum. This should be done very carefully, as improper opening of the drum can lead to its breakage. When removing the spring from the drum, take it by the inner end and hold it carefully so that it cannot turn around instantly.

The mainspring can be broken in the middle or in several places at once. This spring needs to be replaced. Also, the spring can be broken on the inner coil. In this case, you should try to fix it. To do this, the inner coil of the spring has to be stretched and straightened, making sure that it does not lose its helical shape.

The drum can be skewed on the shaft, its teeth are broken or deformed, and the lid or bottom of the drum is bent. If there are burrs or scratches on the teeth of the drum, they must be cleaned. Bent teeth are straightened with a screwdriver or knife. If the teeth are broken, the drum will have to be replaced.

drum wheel, mounted on the drum shaft, can also be skewed, bent or broken in its teeth. In this case, it is better to replace the wheel, but if this is not possible, then the missing teeth can be inserted by sawing them out of the old drum wheel and soldering with tin.

Another frequently broken part, especially in wristwatches, is the pawl spring, made from thin steel wire (piano string). In the event of a breakdown, you can easily make a new spring from a piece of string. If the watch is large, then the spring is sawn out of band steel.

When installing the spring, wipe it first with a clean cloth, then with oiled tissue paper. At the same time, hold the end of the spring with pliers, trying not to touch it with your fingers. When installing a new spring into the drum, either a special device for coiling springs is used, or an old drum with a hole cut in the side.

This is necessary so that the spring lies flat in the drum and, in addition, allows you not to touch it with your fingers and not to contaminate it during installation.

After the spring is installed and its outer coil is fixed on the drum, it is lubricated with two or three drops of oil and the shaft cover is closed. To keep it tighter, the drum must be squeezed between two bars of hard wood.

AT kettlebell engine chains are the most vulnerable parts, since in the process of work they gradually stretch and their individual links can open. If this happens, you can restore the chain with pliers. First, the chain link is compressed in the longitudinal direction in order to meet the divergent ends, then in the transverse direction in order to correct the shape of the link.

If a large number of links are deformed (up to 20), then the entire segment of the chain can be removed, this will practically not affect the watch. The longer chain length will have to be replaced.

Details of the main wheel system (engrenage)

Angrenage- This is one of the main gearing systems included in the clockwork. All watch wheels consist of two parts - a brass disc with teeth and an axle with a steel tribe (gear). Trib, as a rule, is made as one piece with the axis. The rotation is transmitted from the wheel to the tribe (in a mechanical watch).

All gear defects are usually due to meshing defects (too shallow or too deep meshing, broken or skewed teeth, and so on). Therefore, each pair of wheels should be checked separately. If it turns out that some pair of wheels does not rotate freely enough, it is necessary to check the integrity of the teeth around the entire circumference and the correct location of the axles. In relation to platinum, they should be perpendicular.

If the wheel teeth are bent, they can be corrected with a wide screwdriver. In the event that the teeth are broken, it is better, of course, to replace the wheel. But when only one tooth is broken, it can be replaced with a new one. To do this, a rectangular hole is cut in the wheel rim, where a brass plate is inserted. Then a new tooth is soldered and processed with a file.

Stroke Controller Parts

An oscillatory system, or a rate regulator, is a very important detail in a watch mechanism. It depends on him the accuracy of the clock. The wrist watch uses a balance regulator (balance with a spiral). Outwardly, it represents a round rim mounted on an axle. The inner end of the spiral (thin spring) is attached to the upper part of the axle. By changing the length of the spiral, you can adjust the period of balance fluctuations, that is, the daily course of the clock.

The length of the spiral is changed using a special device called a thermometer, or regulator. The thermometer is attached to the balance bridge. On the protrusion of the thermometer, with the help of pins or a special lock, the outer coil of the spiral is attached.

On the balance bridge there is a marking with the signs "+" or "-". If the thermometer pointer is moved towards the “+” sign, then the clock will go faster, if towards the “-” sign, then slower.

Sometimes, instead of pins or a lock, two rollers with a handle for rotation are used. The regulator part is very fragile, and if damaged, it is usually replaced. However, sometimes, especially if the damage is small and minor, it can be repaired.

Damage to the thermometer can be as follows: malfunction of the thermometer pins, which in this case must be replaced by making new ones from a piece of brass wire; corrosion of the thermometer itself, easily corrected by grinding and polishing; and, finally, the weak fastening of the thermometer. Correcting a deformed spiral is too difficult a task. Therefore, in case of breakage or deformation, it is better to replace the spiral.

Descent details

In modern watches, the so-called anchor escapers are mainly used.

They transfer the energy of the plant to the balance or pendulum. The descender consists of a running wheel, an anchor fork and a double roller with an ellipse mounted on the balance axis.

An anchor fork, or simply an anchor, is a brass or steel lever, in the grooves of which there are so-called pallets- trapezoidal plates, usually made of synthetic ruby. Between the raids and the teeth of the road wheel there must be a gap that does not allow them to jam. If the clearance is insufficient, the pallet can be moved with a sharp wooden stick.

If the pallet is broken or chips appear on the edge, it must be replaced. A new pallet is installed in a previously cleaned groove and glued with shellac.

To protect the anchor from accidental shocks and shocks, there is a special device - the so-called spear. It is made from brass wire. The spear should not be too short or too long, touch the plate, or wobble in the anchor hole.

Repair of the running wheel is, in principle, similar to the repair of other wheels that make up the clockwork. The main defects of the wheel are also standard - these are deformation and breakage of the rim and teeth of the wheel, deformation of the axle, misalignment of the wheel.

Any, even the smallest defect in the teeth of the travel wheel can disrupt the operation of the watch, so in case of breakage of the teeth, it is better to replace the wheel. If the wheel teeth are worn unevenly, the wheel can be corrected on a lathe by trimming the teeth with a file.

The complexity of the repair and the fragility of the details of the anchor descent often makes it necessary to change the entire descender in the event of a breakdown.

Pointer mechanism details

The following parts belong to the pointer mechanism: a minute pinion (gear), an hour wheel, a bill wheel with a bill pin, a transfer wheel. The wheels and tribes of the turnout do not have their own axles.

A minute tribe is attached to the central axis, on the sleeve of which the hour wheel rotates. The bill wheel with the bill tribe is mounted on a special axle made in the form of a pin fixed in platinum. In wristwatches, the axis is one with platinum.

A bill tribe or a bill wheel has to be repaired infrequently. A large radial clearance of the bill of exchange pinion can cause the bill wheel to warp and spoil the engagement of its teeth with the teeth of the minute pinion, as well as the engagement of the hour wheel with the bill pinion. In the event of such a defect, it is necessary to change the axis of the bill of exchange tribe, which is easy to do, of course, if it is made in the form of a pin.

If the axle is one piece with the platinum, then the old one will need to be cut off, and in its place, drill a hole and press a new axle of the diameter you need into it.

In the event that the platinum is too thin and you are worried about its strength, the axis must be carefully soldered.

If, on the other hand, the tribe of the bill of exchange wheel is too tight on the axle, then the hole in the tribe is polished by inserting copper wire into it, covered with a mixture of oil and fine emery.

The axis of the promissory tribe must be long enough to protrude slightly above its surface. This is necessary so that the tribe does not come into contact with the dial. If the tribe is too high and still rubs against the dial, then the end of the tribe is ground on a fine-grained emery stone, after which the hole and the teeth of the tribe must be cleaned of burrs.

The main part of the switch gear, which ensures the movement of the entire switch mechanism, is the minute tribe. Since it is mounted on the central axis, it is quite frequent view repair is to fix the landing of the tribe. It is necessary to ensure that when the hands are moved, the minute tribe rotates freely on the axis, without causing braking of the clock mechanism.

If the minute tribe has a too short and thick sleeve tube, it must be machined. To do this, it can be compressed with wire cutters by inserting a steel needle into the hole of the minuter.

The next important detail of the turnout gear is hour wheel. It is mounted on the sleeve of the minute tribe and should rotate completely freely, but the radial clearance should be minimal so that the wheel does not warp. Otherwise, the engagement between the hour wheel and the bill tribe will be broken. In the event that the wheel is still warped, you will have to make a new tube of the hour wheel. To do this, you need to pick up a brass wire of a suitable diameter, drill a hole in it and grind a new tube.

Finally, the last detail - transfer wheel. The reason for its poor performance is often the wear of the axle, due to which the wheel does not sit properly on it. If the axle hole is too developed, then a brass washer must be placed under the wheel; if the wheel simply dangles on the axle (excessive radial clearance), either the axle should be replaced or a bushing inserted into the wheel.

In addition, if the axle height is insufficient, the transfer wheel may seize. To eliminate this defect, the wheel must be ground on an emery stone.

Bill and hour wheel teeth can be inserted . And the teeth of the transfer wheel are more difficult to fix, since it is usually made of steel. It's easier to replace the whole wheel.

Details of the spring winding mechanism and the transfer of arrows (remontir)

For all watch models, the mechanism for winding the spring and shifting the hands is largely similar. As a rule, only the ways in which the components of this wheel mechanism are attached to each other differ.

The remontoire includes the following parts: a drum wheel, which is fixed on the square part of the drum shaft, a winding wheel and a winding pinion mounted on the winding shaft.

clockwork wheel is installed in the socket of the drum bridge and secured with a cap washer. When unscrewing it, it must be remembered that the screw holding the washer may have a left-hand thread.

If the clock is old, then such a screw may be absent altogether. In this case, the winding wheel is secured with a washer with a threaded hole.

The winding wheel and the winding pinion rotate at right angles to each other and are connected by means of engagement. Usually, the winding wheel has one ring gear for engagement, but in older watches, the winding wheel has two ring gears: one is designed to interact with the winding wheel with the drum, and the second, at the end, to interact with the winding tribe.

If the translation of the hands in the watch is carried out, as in most modern models, with the help of a button, then the remontoire will contain a cam clutch, consisting of a winding tribe and a winding clutch. They are installed on the winding shaft. On the cylindrical part of the shaft there is a winding pinion, on the square part there is a winding clutch. The winding shaft itself is fixed in platinum.

The winding clutch includes a lever that is lowered when a button is pressed. You can lower the lever with a spring.

Clockwork spring It works in this way: the rotating winding shaft entrains the winding clutch mounted on it, which rotates together with the shaft and engages the winding pinion with its end teeth, which transmits its movement to the winding wheel.

When the winding shaft rotates in the opposite direction, the drum wheel pawl brakes the drum and winding wheels, and with them the winding tribe.

When you want to move the hands, then pressing the button causes the lower end gear of the winding clutch to engage with the bill wheel. The spring winding mechanism is turned off, and the hands are translated.

If you are inspecting the gear shifting mechanism, then you need to carefully check the condition of the teeth of all wheels and pinions, the clearances of all rotating parts, and also how well the levers interact with each other.

If it turns out that the teeth of the winding rod and the winding sleeve are bent, broken or worn out, then repairing them is useless. Such parts can only be replaced.

One of the most frequently broken parts of the remontoire is the winding shaft. Factory causes of defects can be the following:

• too thin square part of the shaft does not clearly fit into the hole in the winding sleeve;
• the diameter of the winding shaft is underestimated;
• the undercut for the transfer lever on the shaft is too narrow;
• the shoulder of the winding shaft is too short for the installation of the winding rod;
• thin or short trunnion of the winding shaft.

In modern watches, the crown is made as one piece, but in watches of outdated designs, it consists of two parts: the main one (the crown itself) and a capsule made of soft metal (gold or silver), which is wrapped around the main crown. If the head coating is broken, it should be replaced.

The fastening of the head on the thread of the winding shaft must be reliable and strong, in no case allowing spontaneous unscrewing.

If the crown has to be changed, then pay attention to the correct choice of its shape and size. So, for example, the crown should not fit too tightly to the watch case and should be large enough so that when winding the watch, it is convenient to grab it with your fingers.

Exterior design details

To the details external design hours include: dial, hands, case. The case of a modern watch is usually made up of four parts: a cover, a glass with a rim, and a case ring. If the watch is of an outdated design, then its case may have two back covers.

The basic scheme of connection of the watch case is as follows: glass is pressed into the groove of the case ring. The watch cover is screwed onto the case ring and has a sealing gasket. The winding shaft with the head is brought into the hole of the case ring through a special bushing.

Corps Wristwatches are divided according to their protective properties into dust-, moisture- and waterproof. Of these, the most common type of case protection is waterproof.

The type of housing and its hermetic properties mainly depend on the design features and the quality of the sealing gaskets.

The water-resistant case is designed to protect the watch from corrosion in rooms with high humidity or from the penetration of raindrops, etc. In terms of design features, the water-resistant type of case is not much different from others.

The protective properties of the watch case depend on the reliability of the seal. All three body types have a so-called threaded book with a sealing gasket. In order to bring the winding roller out, there is a hole in the case, equipped with a sealing sleeve.

In watches with a waterproof case, the joint density is increased by using gaskets made of vinyl chloride or soft metal alloys (for example, lead-tin). The most common are simple screw caps with gaskets that fit into the annular groove of the housing ring. Covers fixed in the body ring with an additional threaded ring are less common.

As for the dimensions and external design of the watch case, in this regard, there is big variety. The most common forms for watches are round, square and rectangular, multifaceted, as well as in the form of pendants, brooches and even rings.

Most of the body defects depend, as a rule, on its seal. If the sealing ring is deformed or damaged, it is better to replace it; but, if replacement is not possible, then the connection of the cover to the body is lubricated with a special mixture made from a small amount of beeswax and vaseline. To obtain the right lubricant, the mixture is heated and thoroughly stirred. When a homogeneous mass is formed, the lubricant is applied in a thin layer to the edge of the housing ring. Then the cover is installed. After the wax layer hardens, the connection between the cover and the body is sealed.

The most vulnerable point of the waterproof case is the hole in the case ring, through which the winding shaft with the crown mounted on it is removed. Such a connection is sealed with bushings installed in the hole of the housing ring. Some watches have an additional spring ring that fits over the sealing sleeve. The bushing is the most wear part of this assembly.

The most successful connection design is one in which the crown is screwed onto the neck of the case ring. At the same time, it is itself a sealing plug. If it is necessary to wind the watch or move the hands, the crown is unscrewed and slightly pulled out of the case, after which it functions as an ordinary crown.

Cases of some watches, especially women's, often do not even have dust protection. In such cases, the case is made in the form of a square or round box, in the lower part of which there is a mechanism, and the upper half, which carries the glass, is put on the lower one and covers the dial.

Since the mechanism is inserted into the lower half of the case very tightly, then often, when such a case is opened, the mechanism gets stuck and it is rather difficult to remove it. In this case, you must carefully install the mechanism in place, and then try to pull it out again by slipping a knife or screwdriver under the legs of the platinum protruding above the edge of the lower half of the case. Never try to lift the movement by the edges of the dial.

If the watch case is water or moisture resistant, then the mechanism usually lies freely in it. For better fixation, a special spring ring can be installed in the case, the legs of which rest against the back cover of the watch and against the side of the platinum. Sometimes these spring rings act as an additional anti-shock device, being a shock absorber.

Some watch movements are covered with a thin brass protective casing from the side of the bridges before being installed in the case. When disassembling the mechanism, the casing, of course, needs to be removed.

As a rule, in most cases, the casing is not fixed on the mechanism and it is not difficult to remove it. If the cover is fixed with one or two screws, they are easy to remove.

In watches of some designs, both obsolete and modern, the mechanism is fixed in the case with two screws. The head of the screws may be normal or partially cut off. To pull out the mechanism, the normal head screws must be completely unscrewed. If the mechanism is fixed with partially sheared screws, it is enough to turn them half a turn so that the shear is directed towards the housing ring.

Glasses for watches are made, as a rule, from synthetic materials (most often from plexiglass). However, plexiglass glasses by themselves cannot yet provide the necessary tightness. If the glass is intended for a moisture-proof body, then a simple pressing of the glass into the body ring is allowed; but when creating waterproof cases, an additional metal or plastic ring is used to ensure the necessary tightness.

Another disadvantage of plexiglass is that it is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture. In conditions of high humidity (for example, during rain or even fog), plexiglass can let moisture into the watch case. If the watch suddenly cools down after that, then drops of water will settle on the inside of the case and on the glass, which will certainly lead to corrosion of the steel parts of the mechanism. Therefore, to increase the tightness of some watch models, silicate glasses have recently begun to be used again.

With regard to possible defects in watch glasses, organic glasses with scratches, as well as those covered with cracks or individual matte spots, must be replaced or carefully polished. Silicate glasses should not be replaced with organic ones.

As materials for the manufacture of cases of desktop, wall and floor clocks, mainly wood or plastic is used, less often metal. The cases of alarm clocks are usually made of metal or plastic. It is not difficult to replace the glass in them, and the case itself is practically not repaired. Nevertheless, it is better to check the individual parts of the case, if possible, fix dents and scratches on its surface (if the case is metal).

If the watch case is wooden, then the bursting seams on it must be carefully filled with wood glue.

Watch faces fixed with special side screws. The screws clamp the legs of the dial into the holes in the platinum. Sometimes the dial can be screwed directly onto the plate.

When disassembling the mechanism, the dial must be removed very carefully. If the dial has a galvanized coating, the touch of your fingers may leave permanent marks on it. In addition, their surface can be easily scratched.

Enamel-coated dials get chipped and cracked from light pressure. If the dial is thin, then with careless handling it easily bends.

When you remove the dial, the side screws should only be unscrewed just enough to be able to do so without force. After removing the dial, these screws must be tightened again, otherwise they may be lost.

If the leg of the dial is broken, you can solder a new one, but only if the dial is enamel. It cleans the place where the new leg should be installed. So that at the same time the dial does not bend or crack, it must be supported from below with a finger. The legs are made of copper wire, the diameter of which should be equal to the diameter of the corresponding hole in the platinum.

A brass bushing is fitted to the central hole of the dial, which enters this hole without a gap. It is put on the hub of the hour wheel. Then soldering points are marked through the corresponding hole in the platinum. Soldering must be done quickly so that the dial does not have time to warm up. The flame should be directed mainly to the leg wire, heating it until the solder is completely melted.

The position of the hands on the dial may be disturbed. If the axis of the second hand does not coincide with the center of the second scale of the dial, then an error of several seconds may occur during the countdown. In alarm clocks, such a defect can cause an incorrect signal.

However, centering defects can only be corrected to a limited extent. If the dial is metal, then you can carefully bend the legs. To do this, the dial should be set on platinum, put a wooden plate on it and gently tap on the corresponding side of the dial with a hammer.

Unfortunately, on modern dials, where galvanic or lacquer coating, replacement of the stem is almost impossible, since even the slightest heating of the dial will cause indelible spots to appear on its surface.

A dirty dial must be cleaned. The enamel dial is best cleaned with gasoline. In the event that it is cracked or too heavily soiled, it must be washed. To do this, rub the dial with soap and then rinse it with warm water. To remove dirt from cracks, wipe the dial with a slice of raw potato. After washing, the dial is dried by wrapping it in tissue paper.

Printed dials, as well as dials with a silvered field, do not tolerate cleaning well. Gasoline and alcohol should not be used to clean them at all. If it is impossible to replace the dial, and the signs on it are erased, you can write them in black paint or ink. For writing it is better to use a wooden stick.

If the signs (strokes and numbers) on the dial are not drawn, but glued, then it is better to polish them and cover them with a colorless varnish.

As for the clock hands, first of all, of course, they must be of a certain length and firmly held on the axles. The hands must not touch each other or touch the dial or glass. If you change the hands, it is better that they also match the external design of the watch in shape and color.

It is better to set the second hand in the course of the watch, which makes it possible to control the contact of the hand with the dial or platinum.

If the second hand is located in the center of the dial, then it has a curved end and is installed with gaps relative to the minute hand and glass. The side seconds hand must be perfectly flat and pass over the dial with a minimum of clearance. The gap between the hands must be carefully checked around the entire circumference of the dial.

It is most convenient to remove the arrows with tweezers. The hole in the arrow must match the diameter of the carrier axle. If the hole is too narrow, widen it with a drill. Drill in several stages, gradually using drills of a larger diameter.

With the normal length of the minute hand, its point should cover from half to two-thirds of the width of the minute scale. If the arrow is too long, it can be adjusted by placing the arrow on thick glass and cutting off its ends with a knife. The end of the hour hand must cover no more than one third of the digits.

In the event that the watch dial is not flat, but curved, the minute hand is usually very close to the glass around the numbers 6 and 12 and with the dial around the numbers 3 and 9. These places must be carefully checked to prevent the hands from touching the glass or dial.

Good luck with the repair!

All the best, write © 2008