lent results.

Another mooted point in the lever escapement is, to decide between the
merits of the ratchet and the club-tooth escape wheel. English makers,
as a rule, hold to the ratchet tooth, while Continental and American
manufacturers favor the club tooth. The chief arguments in favor of the
ratchet tooth are: (_a_) It will run without oiling the pallets; (_b_)
in case the escape wheel is lost or broken it is more readily replaced,
as all ratchet-tooth escape wheels are alike, either for circular
pallets or equidistant lockings. The objections urged against it are:
(_a_) Excessive drop; (_b_) the escape wheel, being frail, is liable to
be injured by incompetent persons handling it; (_c_) this escapement in
many instances does require to have the pallets oiled.

ESCAPEMENTS COMPARED.

(_a_) That a ratchet-tooth escape wheel requires more drop than a club
tooth must be admitted without argument, as this form of tooth requires
from one-half to three-fourths of a degree more drop than a club tooth;
(_b_) as regards the frailty of the teeth we hold this as of small
import, as any workman who is competent to repair watches would never
injure the delicate teeth of an escape wheel; (_c_) ratchet-tooth lever
escapements will occasionally need to have the pallets oiled. The writer
is inclined to think that this defect could be remedied by proper care
in selecting the stone (ruby or sapphire) and grinding the pallets in
such a way that the escape-wheel teeth will not act against the
foliations with which all crystalline stones are built up.

All workmen who have had an extended experience in repair work are well
aware that there are some lever escapements in which the pallets
absolutely require oil; others will seem to get along very nicely
without. This applies also to American brass club-tooth escapements;
hence, we have so much contention about oiling pallets. The writer does
not claim to know positively that the pallet stones are at fault because
some escapements need oiling, but the fact must admit of explanation
some way, and is this not at least a rational solution? All persons who
have paid attention to crystallography are aware that crystals are built
up, and have lines of cleavage. In the manufacture of hole jewels, care
must be taken to work with the axis of crystallization, or a smooth hole
cannot be obtained.

The advantages claimed for the club-tooth escapement are many; among
them may be cited (_a_) the