Redesigned barrel clicks; continue power reserve indicators - March 2010

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The old click design was a bit too bulky for the redesigned frame configuration. B thinned and gave the shape a more elegant curvilinear look. The long, straight springs have yet to be changed to reflect the new frame design. Note the slightly raised area on the click tail, perfect for one's finger to contact in the event one needs to release this click.

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B now begins the outboard mounts for the clicks; using small pillow block bearings. These became necessary because of the redesign of the movement frame from the original plate and spacer to the current pillar style. Under the original click design;  fabricated in August of 2008 (first two photos), the click springs were mounted on the frame; a bit away from the ratchet wheel with a relatively long, straight click spring.  Now the spring mount must be attached to the pillar face whose area is very close to this same wheel. The pillar faces also afford no room whatsoever for both the clicks and the spring mounts. After some discussion we came up with the small outboard bearing blocks for the clicks to move these off the face of the pillar.  Notice how even these pieces, which do not really require them as the two screws would serve this purpose, get a set of guide pins. The remaining pillar space is now available for the spring mounts.

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B made several different spring configurations for my approval. The design in the sixth photo was chosen. This, but on a larger scale, most closely matched the design used on the two remontoire fly fan cages. As with those clicks, these will also be set to a half step to each other so one will hear double click sound for each tooth advancement - a click, clack rather than a simple click.

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Completed assemblies, Notice that the spring mounts are slightly moved from the edges to the center of the pillars due to a conflict from the countersunk hole needed for the Geneva stop bearing structure.

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We now begin to figure out how to incorporate the power reserve bearing blocks into the frame. B wanted these blocks to be able to be inserted (and thus the long, thin arbors they contain) after the main frame base was assembled. He did not want to risk these delicate arbors within their small, fragile jewels being roughly moved about during the main frame assembly. They will hold the arbors for the power reserve indicators that will transmit the information about the state of wind from the snail cam system located at the rear of the barrels to the front frames where the dial pointers are located.  This is proving difficult as these blocks were part of the entire ad hoc process of introducing the power reserve system after the frames and barrels had already been fabricated. This is the first time I have introduced a new functional system after the surrounding environment had already been created and can see how this affects the process adversely. One can see in the initial photos below how out of place the rough blocks and initial trials look in relation to the rest of the frame. A few concept drawings were made in an effort to incorporate and blend these bearings into the surrounding bead molding that was already fabricated into the frame. The photos show the evolution of this design. In the end, the bearing blocks each had to be finished by hand to blend into the their new surroundings, last photo. Remember that this component is in an area near the bottom of the frame that would rarely be noticed. This is another example of the attention to detail we are paying throughout this project. The metal colors are identical and the differences will disappear when the frame is polished.

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Now begins the fabrication of the sector gears for the power reserve system. Note the nice decorative machining for the collet and its mating bearing part in the last photo. Again in an area that would be hard to see without effort. The sector gears in the front will fill up a small empty space.

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We now see the power reserve indicator system as it fits between the front and rear barrels. B has indicated that there is a clearance problem that needs to be resolved on the rear side. Things are sandwiched pretty tight here. Last photo shows the completed barrel ratchets.

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