The reader will remember that in the escapement model we described we cut down the drop to one degree, being less by half a degree than advised by Grossmann and Saunier. We also advised only one degree of lock. In the perfected lever escapement, which we shall describe and give working drawings for the construction of, we shall describe a detached lever escapement with only eight degrees fork and pallet action, with only three-fourths of a degree drop and three-fourths of a degree lock, which we can assure our readers is easily within the limits of practical construction by modern machinery.
HOW THE GUARD POINT IS MADE.
[Illustration: Fig. 83]
The guard point C’, as shown at Fig. 82, is of extremely simple construction. Back of the slot of the fork, which is three-fifths of the diameter of the jewel pin in depth, is made a square hole, as shown at u, and the back end of the guard point C is fitted to this hole so that it is rigid in position. This manner of fastening the guard point is equally efficient as that of attaching it with a screw, and much lighter—a matter of the highest importance in escapement construction, as we have already urged. About the best material for such guard points is either aluminum or phosphor bronze, as such material is lighter than gold and very rigid and strong. At Fig. 83 we show a side view of the essential parts depicted in Fig. 82, as if seen in the direction of the arrow v, but we have added the piece which holds the jewel pin D. A careful study of the cut shown at Fig. 82 will soon give the horological student an excellent idea of the double-roller action.
We will now take up and consider at length why Saunier draws his entrance pallet with fifteen degrees draw and his exit pallet with only twelve degrees draw. To make ourselves more conversant with Saunier’s method of delineating the lever escapement, we reproduce the essential features of his drawing, Fig. 1, plate VIII, of his “Modern Horology,” in which he makes the draw of the locking face of the entrance pallet fifteen degrees and his exit pallet twelve degrees. In the cut shown at Fig. 84 we use the same letters of reference as he employs. We do not quote his description or directions for delineation because he refers to so much matter which he has previously given in the book just referred to. Besides we cannot entirely endorse his methods of delineations for many reasons, one of which appears in the drawing at Fig. 84.
[Illustration: Fig. 84]
MORE ABOUT TANGENTIAL LOCKINGS.
Most writers endorse the idea of tangential lockings, and Saunier speaks of the escapement as shown at Fig. 84 as having such tangential lockings, which is not the case. He defines the position of the pallet staff from the circle t, which represents the extreme length of the teeth; drawing the radial lines A D and A E to embrace an arc of sixty degrees, and establishing the center of his pallet staff C at the intersection of the lines D C and E C, which are drawn at right angles to the radial lines A D and A E, and tangential to the circle t.