Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-26
HOW 1T AFFECTS WATCHES.
The Electrical Problem aud the Meth
cd Of Testing decomposition OF Mag
netic Proof Time Pieces.

Iue ELECTRICAL fr0bicn auu THO 1kttu-
Cd Of Testing c ton OF Mag
netic Proof Time Pieces.
A young man. who Is considerable Of
an electrician, and q close student of
everything he looks into, has been in
vestigating the affects Of electricity
on watches since the order of general
superintendent Royce to the c., R. l. &
P. men was issued. His researches, ac-
cording to an exchange are interesting.
People operating or working around
dynamos are often called upon to make
or assist in some test intended to demon
strate the prscticability or otherwise of
non-magnetic watches, and in great
many cases people think the only test to
make is. if possible. to find some place on
dynamo, generally some corner near the
srmature, where the lines of force cons
ce nitrate sufficiently to retard the motion
of the balance, and. in few coses, stop the
watch while in contact with the dynamo.
A non magnetic watch presents to the
manufacturer the following problems for
solution: LIST. Parts of the movements
that will become polarized. owing to the
metals of which they are made, when
brought into a magnetic field. must
give way TO some metals non-msg-
neiic, and that will give equally
as good results in time keeping. Cd. The
| problem of manufacture. Sd. Durabil>
ity. The balance hair spring and the
escapement of watch are the most vital
to its time keeping, and these parts are
the most expensive to manufacture
W hen q watch with these parts of the
ordinary construction comes within 8
magnetic field, the pieces feel the msgnet
ism and retain it after removal from the
magnetic field. In the ordinary construc
ted watch these parts are made mostly OF
steel, which i5sery sensitive to magnet
ism and can retain it longer than any
other metal. Watches are now made will
an alloy hair spring thSt->better thar
steel for watch hair sbrirg
In testing watch il is nee. sary t
know how it runs e. to- be more exact
what its daily varistiorfs by some stand
ard clock; if its variation for twenty
four hours has been found expose Il '
some strong magnet or dynamo, abor
the distance it would be when carried i
the pocket and for about the leEgt
of time person would be in the mag
netic field, aud, having noted the tim
by comparing it with the standard an
then again note the time after the e!
posure to the dynamo, and no
the error if there be any. This te
has but one value aud that is in decidir
whether it is safe 10 carry watch srOuI
a dynamo. and at the same time be su
of accurate time unless avoiding son
pOiut MutIC lut liucs VI loitc hlC "
centrsted In sOme cases the magnet
force outside the dynamo has stopped I
watch because the second hand was ma
of steel which was held by the msgnt
but by replacing it by hand made
gold, the watch was not in the lea
= affected by the dynamo.
Some of the most eminent electrical
in this country think that magnet cou
"a be made that would stop watch ma
wholly of copper. Now the last test
., easily decided. The daily variation
= known from the first test, and, havl
- been exposed to magnet that wol
= have destroyed an ordinary watch
stantly, it now remains to undergo I
:. first test under the same conditions
=, temperature, of duration of time of
no trial and position, and then by comp
- ing the difference with the first rate of
watch obtained, and the difference,
a any, will be due to the magnetism
+. naming in the watch. The dynamo
~ PENDANTS are only small part Of
Woodworking public who require
:, watch that cannot be rendered useless
-, magnetism.