Regulator pin versus regulator boot

[Orologi67]

does the hairspring always need to be shaped where it rests against the regulator pin? Or is it ok if the hairspring touches the boot side with the screw slot instead? 

Seems to me it wouldnt make a difference as long as it touches one side or the other 

 

[Nucejoe]

Think of hairspring as it expands and vice veras.

[Bauertime]

That's the question I was just about to ask. Does the hairspring breath and touch the inner and outer pins of the regulator, or should it always rest against one or the other?

[JohnR725]

Whatever is used for regulation is supposed to be really really close to the hairspring. There shouldn't be a lot of play then you ideally should be in the center.

[oldhippy]

The hairspring should be free from both sides of the pins/boot. What ever position the regulator is in the H/S should be free. This applies to most but there are the exceptions.    

[Nucejoe]

1 hour ago, Bauertime said:

That's the question I was just about to ask. Does the hairspring breath and touch the inner and outer pins of the regulator, or should it always rest against one or the other?

Should come to rest in midpoint of the two and normaly wouldn't touch either at low amplitude.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Nucejoe
like John's graph.

[HSL]

3 hours ago, Orologi67 said:

does the hairspring always need to be shaped where it rests against the regulator pin? Or is it ok if the hairspring touches the boot side with the screw slot instead? 

Seems to me it wouldnt make a difference as long as it touches one side or the other 

I once made a compilation of the regulator and some theory of the hairspring position, maybe after reading it this matter might clear some question marks up for you.

Watch Theory Escape-Regulator.pdf
 

[Bauertime]

43 minutes ago, HSL said:

I once made a compilation of the regulator and some theory of the hairspring position, maybe after reading it this matter might clear some question marks up for you.

Watch Theory Escape-Regulator.pdf
 

OK thanks.

[Orologi67]

Thanks for the input.  Darn all this time i thought the hairspring rested lightly against the regulator pin.  I can however understand that if it rests between the pin and the bank it would touch one or the other apon expanding or contracting.  Good to know.

[JohnR725]

4 hours ago, Orologi67 said:

Darn all this time i thought the hairspring rested lightly against the regulator pin.

This is why we have things like the etachron system where it makes it much easier to get the hairspring where it's supposed to be. Then because you can open and close the regulator pins once you get the watch regulated you can close them down so is basically touching the hairspring on both sides and get much better timekeeping.

 

Or usually on high precision watches chronometer grade watches they tossed the entire regulator and go with a free sprung balance as it does make a lot easier to have linear timekeeping.