54 EXPERIMENTS ON CHRONOMETERS. 



lance; if the machine was fet a-golng without oil being ap^ 

 plied to the locking pallet, it would not go many days before 

 it would fiop, and if fet in motion the balance would perform 

 only three or four vibrations, when it would come to reft again : 

 in this ftate, if oil was applied to the locking pallet, it would 

 fet a-going more lively than ever, th.e balance making confi- 

 derably larger arcs, and the machine gaining upon its former 

 rate in a very furprizing manner. 

 Explanation of Sliould it here be enquired, how v/ere thefe effe6ls produced ? 

 the irregulan- j ti^ii^]^^ {^ would be anfwering in a vague and indefinite manner 

 wear or change to fay merely, — that it was occafioned by fridion ; for the mode 

 in the parts, and by which it operated is certainly neceflary to be pointed out : 

 o^j„, I fuppofe that by friftion the point of the locking pallet (which 



was made of fteel) wore ftiorter, by which means it locked 

 Ihallower upon the jewel in the detent, therefore the balance 

 unlocking the Remontoire fooner, the impulfe to the verge 

 was given quicker as the point of the locking pallet became 

 fhorter by wear ; alfo, the fliallower the locking pallet 

 locked upon the jewel of the detent, the iefs was the refiftance 

 to the balance in unlocking it, and the drop upon the impulfe 

 pallet became Iefs, therefore the arcs of the balance became 

 larger in proportion as the locking pallet wore fliorter ; I can 

 never believe that the above effefts, viz. acceleration of rate 

 and large arcs were produced by friction abftra<5tedly ; for had 

 it been fo, they would haveceafed the moment oil was applied 

 to the locking pallet, inftead of which the effects became 

 more apparent. 

 Remedy. An ^^ ^^^^ "^*- ^'^' after various examinations of the 'fcapement 

 internncdiate alluded to, a-nd making two or three others of the fame kind, 

 troducpr\'o* ^^^^ ^ formed the foregoing conclufions refpe6ting the caufe of 

 render the lock- the error that had puzzled me; when I had fixed upon the 

 caufe in my own mind, I determined upon a. remedy, which 

 was, by applying an intermediate wheel between the remon- 

 toire and the balance, inflead of the locking pallet; 1 con- 

 trived to fix a thort weak jewelled detent upon the remontoire 

 a5^is, which moved round with it and locked upon the inter- 

 mediate wheel,, which had twenty-four teeth; as the locking 

 pallet had before locked upon the detent, I placed alfo a -de- 

 tent upon the other fide of the intermediate wheel, to lock it, 

 and by a particular contrivance made the intermediate wheel 

 to fliift one tooth al every vibration of the balance; after which 



alteration^ 



Ing faces more 

 numerous 



