rough
pressure on the crown. An original instruction tag as sent from the
factory with these timers is seen in figure 18.
Figure 19 shows the mechanism of the split-second model as represented
in U. S. patent 220195 of September 30, 1879, issued to William A. Wales
and assigned to William B. Fowle.[40] A split-second mechanism is used
to time the finish of two horses in the same race or any other similar
event. In usual watches of this nature the watch will run along
indefinitely with the extra or split second hand stopped although this
hand will not record more than a difference of one minute from the main
sweep hand. This was not true of the Auburndale, as pointed out in the
instructions. The reason for this is that motion is conveyed to this hand
through a hair spring which would be damaged if allowed to overwind. To
prevent this a stop is interposed which will halt the entire watch unless
directions are followed. The serrated wheel _F_, of hardened steel,
driving the second sweep hand, is cut on the edge with 120 serrations;
stopping of this hand therefore is only to the nearest half second
regardless of how minutely the escapement is dividing time. This is
rather a serious defect as, if timing a horse race as an example, the
time of the fastest horse is taken on this hand which registers a lesser
degree of accuracy than the time recorded on the second and less
important horse. A general view of one of these watches is seen in
figure 20.
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[18] _Stimpson's Boston directory_, 1840.
[19] _Adams' new directory of the City of Boston_, 1847-48,
1849-50, 1851.
[20] Records of Veterans Administration, pension application
666 675, National Archives, Washington, D. C.
[21] The _Newton directory_ at this time was issued
biennially on odd numbered years.
[22] S. F. Smith, _History of Newton, Massachusetts_, Boston
1880, p. 833.
[23] U. S. patent 65208, issued May 28, 1867, all rights
assigned to Giles, Wales and Co., March 4, 1867 and
recorded March 8, 1867, at U. S. Patent Office, liber
G9, p. 100.
[24] In the U. S. National Museum, cat. no. 309021.
[25] U. S. patent 179746, issued July 11, 1876.
[26] _Boston directory_, 1865 through 1872.
[27] M. F. Sweitser, _King's handbook of Newton,
Massachusetts_, Boston, Mass., 1889, p. 203.
[28] Smith, _op. cit._ (footnote 22), p. 20.
[29] The sources used were Crossman,
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