nd is in
strict accordance with scientific investigation. We should see many fine
watches made with such escapements if the means for producing them could
fully satisfy the requirements of the scientific principles involved.

[Illustration: Fig. 9.]

The distribution of the lift on tooth and pallet is a very important
matter; the lifting angle on the tooth must be _less_ in proportion to
its width than it is on the pallet. For the sake of making it perfectly
plain, we illustrate what should not be made; if we have 10 1/2deg. for
width of tooth and pallet, and take half of it for a tooth, and the
other half for the pallet, making each of them 5 1/4deg. in width, and
suppose we have a lifting of 8 1/2deg. to distribute between them, by
allowing 4 1/4deg. on each, the lift would take place as shown in
Fig. 12, which is a very unfavorable action. The edge of the engaging
pallet scrapes on the lifting plane of the tooth, yet it is astonishing
to find some otherwise very fine watches being manufactured right along
which contain this fault; such watches can be stopped with the ruby pin
in the fork and the engaging pallet in action, nor would they start when
run down as soon as the crown is touched, no matter how well they were
finished and fitted.

[Illustration: Fig. 10.]

The lever lengths of the club tooth are variable, while with the ratchet
they are constant, which is in its favor; in the latter it would always
be as SB, Fig. 13. This is a shorter lever than QB, consequently more
powerful, although the greater velocity is at Q, which only comes into
action after the inertia of wheel and pallets has been overcome, and
when the greatest momentum during contact is reached. SB is the
primitive radius of the club tooth wheel, but both primitive and _real_
radius of the ratchet wheel. The distance of centers of wheel and pallet
will be alike in both cases; also the lockings will be the same distance
apart on both pallets; therefore, when horologists, even if they have
worldwide reputations, claim that the club tooth has an advantage over
the ratchet because it begins the lift with a shorter lever than the
latter, it does not make it so. We are treating the subject from a
purely horological standpoint, and neither patriotism or prejudice has
anything to do with it. We wish to sift the matter thoroughly and arrive
at a just conception of the merits and defects of each form of
escapement, and show _reasons_ for our conclusions