The writer is free to confess that he has seen lever escapements of both
types, that is, circular pallets and equidistant lockings, which gave
excellent 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.
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