, 1873-08-26
on THE WINDING OF WATCHES.

To tho Editor Qf 3he Chicago Is9ohHt'
sm: We havo noticed tho Boycral communica-
tionB from watch-ownora aud oshors published
in your paper, md, from tho purpo1t Of most Of
thom, VIC aro aatisfcd that great error oxiBts IN
tho minds Of many in regard to tho over, OF
tight, Winding of watches. In all nature oHects
aro noticed which can sometimes DO traced
to m apparent cauBo, aud, In some
cascs, aftor careful investigation, tho
real cause can bo satisfactorily explained. Tho
truo causc' Of my o1reot remains tho eamc
whether properly understood by human minds or
not. 30, in tho mntter Of winding watches,
fuct is atated-a watch il wound aud it is found
to 10 stopped Immediately aftor tho winding
ccasos. Tho appnrcnt cAuao ID "Windiug too
tight" Tits wo lave heard assorted hundreds
Of times by watoh-ownors, but, upon e1amlna-
unlosH so much forco las boon used
III the Winding as to break or, dis,
lort como part Of the mechanism, aud
IN that cuso tho watch could not gtart again, no
1nattor how much it WAS shaken or Jared:
In the communication Of A.. u. 6chiylor, and
also In that Of 1T. y. L., both published III IuE
Tn1punE OF yesterday, there aro facts stated
which We should not Tor uolneut think Of gain
saying. Their watches frequently stop nftor
thonsi s is, Mound too tight" LII both cases
the wntohea arc claimed to Pc ("lat
wo should naturally suslect) English levers.
uhib construction Uf watch il lB Haplo 70 etop NJ
any timo from tho san.c variety Of causes as
otIor watches, but moro liublo than most othcrs
to stop whilo being wound, though the winding
10 ouiy partial. The reason OF this is, that the
construction OF the Winding action il such that
maintaining, or auxiliary powor Ill nocosaathy s1
| crowded to kcep tho watch running during the
tinla Of winding. These parts frequently become
worn and diaordered, aud full to act, IN which
case tho watch would be aR likoly to stop after
the first turn Of the key ~ at the last. aud thls
kfuf nal
| stopping while being wound.
| IGat watches have stopped, and do frequently
| stop upon bolug wound, no do not pretend to
deny, but We do dony tint such stoppage ia over
| caused by their being wound too tightly. a man
| whose knowledge uf watches is derived simply
from his having cnrriol one, has d perfect tight
to Btato TINT his watch frequently stops upon be-
ing wound, aud that. by nllaking it, il viii atart
cau understand and appreciate; +; but he can hard.
" be presumed competent to correctly judge ~
! to tie cause OF this effect.
In tho days Of Gallileo tho whole world do
sun and stars passed ovor their heads every layi
yot all this testimony did not mako 1t true. ~
Tho watch mentioned in hlr. D. Il. 2. shur-
loy'a letter to J.. i. Hamilton, published in Tu1
InuSE Of Sunday 1as is tEam Ea TO nS Howard
too tight. Tho fact Of this watch
stopp{ng utter being wound We would not thill
Of aisputing, but it could neyer occur from undue
force in WinulnHt pIoHlucu tAa uA dtakC8J Lut
htop-wleols wcro uniujured. We think that al
the Howard watches manufactured and sold dur
iug ffteon ycarB were provided with tho main
tanning spring, as above explained, and tho,
algo viii ytop during winding II this part is ou1
Of adjustment, and this, in all probability, wa'
the true CAUSE Of tho stoppago OF the abovo
mentioned witch. ,..
MT, Bhurloy also states that o barrel-cover Il
some casos might bind tho nain-spEing who1
wound up, and stop tho match and this he ste'
as proof that o watch can DO wound too tightly
inetead of which tho truth Is, the barrel wa,
wrongly fitted up md unduo friction produced
vet tho watch would bo moro likely to run who1
The spring waa wound up tightly than othorwlso
There arc a1moHt nn infinite number Of cauBe
for watch stopping aud starting while belnl
wound OF carried In tho pocket, but We stat
positively that tho truo causo will never b
traced to tho fact Of tho spring being coiled VI
too tightly, unless, by so doing, some parts Q
tic movement be broken or displaced, aud, il
such case, the watch would not start again b
Now, to sum up tho whole matter, v
> viii stato that, In caso what We hay
writton Bhall not bo perfectly cloa
md satisfactory to oil, wo offer, aa premium
! $500 to ANYONE who will show us any moder
watch OF tho cllronomotor, English lover, duple,
or American lover construction that can b
stopped by tight-wln1lnE, tho watch in other 1e
Bpocss bo!ng III order. Respectfully,
pDTTYn BnOa., No, 90 Madison street.