The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1889-12-04
TRAVELS OF A WATCH.
The Average Tfme-Pieco That Covers
$50 Miles In Two Years.


The Average Time-Piecs That Cover,
$50 Miles in Two Years.
VI all the articles of luxury which in
the course of centuries have become
necessities the watch is, no doubt, the one
that peforms the most remarkable feats.
Yet II Is In many cases the most sadly
neglected. Man will eat and sleep as =
matter OF course. without thinking
once in thousand times that by so
doing he maintains the numerous parts
OF his organism which through pulsation
indicate the state of regularity. Man
Will wind watch without calculating
In doing so upon the force set in motion.
Take cylinder watch of the average
size' for instance. A glance at the
movement shows, first of all. small
coR-"heel moving rapidly back and
iorth without completing the revolu-
TONS. Every single swing
OF this balance wheels equal
70 about % degrees, three-fourths of a
revolutlon-averages having been taken
In all figures to be adduced for the mat
ter OF convenience. The diameter of the
balance wheel is usually, in the average
sized watch, seven-twelfths of an inch,
the circumference consequently twenty
one-tweltths, or one and three-quarters
OF an inch. The small point of resist
ance at the outer periphery Of the bal
ance wheel consequently covers with
each swing distance of sIx1H of an
inch, which is equal to one and five-six.
teenths of an inch. An attentive OBJ
server will find by carefully watching
the second hand of the watch that there
are i've swings, or steps, in each second.
That means $4,000 swings an hour. or
49,, 600 in day of twenty-four hours.
Consequently the point of resistance
covers in day 49,, OOOx1 Sis of an inch,
or SOS, 667 inches, or 1889 feet, which
is, within fraction of about one-for-
tleth, nearly nine miles. If a good
watch runs two years without repairs,
the point of resistance has made 6,57O
miles without stop.
In an ancre movement of the same
size as the cylinder watch referred to,
each swing of the balance wheel is
twice as large. Each given point at the
outer circumference of the balance
vheel-for there is no point of resist
ance in the ancre watch-would cover in
twenty-four hours distance of IS, or in
two years ID, 40 miles. At this rate r
would take the balance wheel, some
times enormously called escapement,
about three years and nine months to
cover distance equal to the circumfer-
ence of the earth
No sensible man would for a moment
entertain the idea that a diminutive
wagon with wheels of seven-twelfths of
an inch diameter could travel around
the earth in three years and nine
months. even if there were an absolute.
~ level road to travel on. Repairs
would take up half the time. The watch
is only able to perform it's remarkable
feats on account of the diminutive
weight and yet immense hardness of it's
parts and an almost infinitesimal degree
of friction. The latter is SO much re-
duced that single drop of oil is suffi-
cient for five years in high grade
watch.
Another achievement of the watch is
the degree of exactness with which it
works. The swings of the escapement
are rendered isochronous (of equal dura-
tom by means of the hairspring, the
regulating being done by the lengthen.
ing or shortening of the spring. For in.
stance, if a watch differs two minutes,
either too slow or too fast, in twenty
four hours, it means that-inasmuch as
there are 49,, 900 swings in that period
of time-each swing is the three thou.
sand six hundredth part of a second too
long or too short of absolute correctness.
If, therefore. the correction is to be
made that the watch shall differ only
half minute in day, each swing of the
escapement has to be regulated by the
one-fOurteen thousandth part of
second-a part of time that as to dura-
ton can hardly be comprehended unless
1t is with the quickness of thought.
The watch, if otherwise properly con.
structed, is assisted only once day by
the winding, not counting those mar
wells of the watch-maker's art which
run unassisted for week or even a
month. Taking this into consideration,
it is indeed marvellous how the mani
mate metal has been rendered service
able by the laws of art and rature---it is, in
word. miracle in the vestpocket.-
Chicago Tribune.