STUDY OF AN ESCAPEMENT ERROR.

[Illustration: Fig. 64]

Now let us suppose a case, and imagine a full-plate American movement in
which the ingress or entrance pallet extends out too far, and in order
to have it escape, the banking on that side is opened too wide. We show
at Fig. 64 a drawing of the parts in their proper relations under the
conditions named. It will be seen by careful inspection that the jewel
pin _D_ will not enter the fork, which is absolutely necessary. This
condition very frequently exists in watches where a new pallet stone has
been put in by an inexperienced workman. Now this is one of the
instances in which workmen complain of hearing a "scraping" sound when
the watch is placed to the ear. The remedy, of course, lies in warming
up the pallet arms and pushing the stone in a trifle, "But how much?"
say some of our readers. There is no definite rule, but we will tell
such querists how they can test the matter.

Remove the hairspring, and after putting the train in place and securing
the plates together, give the winding arbor a turn or two to put power
on the train; close the bankings well in so the watch cannot escape on
either pallet. Put the balance in place and screw down the cock.
Carefully turn back the banking on one side so the jewel pin will just
pass out of the slot in the fork. Repeat this process with the opposite
banking; the jewel pin will now pass out on each side. Be sure the guard
pin does not interfere with the fork action in any way. The fork is now
in position to conform to the conditions required.