The pocket watch movement in the photos below has been an on going project of mine for a little while. The watch uses a fusee to deliver a constant driving force in the watch. Early watch and clock springs would deliver more power when fully wound up and less when the spring was winding down - resulting in the watch not being a very good time keeper.
The fusee acts like a gearing mechanism in the watch. As the main spring unwinds the fusee chain is wound around the fusee wheel in ever decreasing circles keeping the power delivered to the watch constant.
In the middle of this photo you can see the fusee 'cone' wheel and the fusee chain. This watch will have been made before the 1900s. Also in the photo: main spring, main spring barrel, watch face, balance wheel, center wheel, third wheel, escape wheel etc
Close-up photo of the fusee. The penny gives an indication of size. The thickness of the chain is about 1 mm. If you look carefully at the end of the chain you can see a hook to attach the chain to the spring barrel.More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusee_(horology)
3 comments:
It is an excelleent photographic study of a common but interesting watch of the 1800s. If you need help with it email me. Be happy to offer any assistance an old master horologist has left in him.
Thanks very much! I'm sure I'll have some questions as I put the watch back together.
You know this could be as early as 1700s. Been doing research on it. And told another MH in Ohio about it. We both think this is an excellent find. Wish we'd made it. Glad to help along the way.
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