Redesigned barrel clicks; continue power reserve indicators - March
2010
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.