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Problem with the winding mechanism of a Boulova pocketwatch


Bill3

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I have a problem with a Bulova pocket watch.  The watch was running, but losing a few minutes every day.  I opened the case to see if it was dirty or if there was an obvious reason for running slow.  I did not see any problems, but I took the stem out.  When I started to replace the stem a piece of the winding mechanism seemed to leap out of the movement and sail away.  I think it was propelled by a spring.  It took several hours, but I found the piece on the floor.  

Now for the problem.  I cannot get the piece back in.  I have rotated it into several orientations and tried to find a peg to fit into the hole in the runaway piece, but after several days, I cannot get it to fit back into the watch.  In the pictures below you can see the piece oriented in a way that I think it should go.  An oiler is positioned to point at the troublesome piece.  In the other picture the piece is removed and you can see the springs that are supposed to hold the stem in place.  That piece no longer fits into the groove on the stem and so I cannot secure the stem.  The third picture is a picture of the dial of the watch.  

Does anyone have a suggestions?  

Thank you, 

Bill

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Hi Bill,

 

The way I see it, the little post (A in red below, called the set-lever) needs to be under the 'set-lever spring' so that it rides in the two troughs (B in red). There seems to be a part missing, you would usually find the yoke fitted in the slot marked in yellow below,

The Blue arrow is the end of the screw from the other side.

 

Bulova 1..jpg

I'm not too familiar with this movement but I think the part indicated by the yellow arrow below could be the yoke. Can it be moved so that it sits in the slot I mentioned earlier (red arrow below). The yoke spring (indicated by the green arrown below) will need to apply pressure on the yoke so that the winding pinion (red arrow thing) is pushed in the direction of the blue arrow. This will allow it to engage the clutch wheel (sorry no more arrows).Bulova 2.jpg

The set-lever piece (which your oiler is indicating) is usually installed first, followed by the yoke-lever and yoke spring. Then the set-lever spring/bridge (part indicated with the red B in the first pic above).

Hope this sorts out your problem.

 

Anil

 

Edited by anilv
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AnilV and Vinn3,

Thank you very much for your help with the problem I am having with my Bulova pocket watch.  Please accept my apology for the long delay in offering this thanks, but I have been struggling with reassembly for several days and I wanted to have some progress to show before I responded.  

I have the watch back together, approximately as you indicated.  I can turn the hands and wind the spring.  There is a distinct click as the stem moves into each of these spaces.  There is one problem.  If I pull very hard on the crown, the stem comes out.  In the picture below, you can see that there is a notch closer to the crown gear that is empty.  No matter how I positioned the components, nothing would fit in this notch.  In the picture posted by Vinn3, there is a lever in that notch.  Vinn3's picture is not exactly like my watch, but similar.  Not only is there no lever that can be contorted into the notch, but there is no room ror another piece to fit.  

Well, here is the picture:

Best regards,

Bill

 

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Refer my earlier post..second pic, yellow arrow. The yoke (outlined in red below) may have been flipped (ie the upper surface should be facing down). Once you've flipped it over, position it in the groove and then get the spring in. Caution, the spring will cause bits to fly so be prepared. If you're not confident then do the work inside a clear ziploc bag or similar. Your tweezers m screwdrivers will pierce the bag no problem and if anything flies it will fly inside the bag.

yoke.jpg

The reason the stem pulls out is the set-lever is not fully seated in the groove in the stem. You may want to get this right first before you proceed with the yoke as it keeps the stem, winding pinion and clutch wheel in place. 

You're almost there... stick with it!

Anil

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Anil, you are absolutely right!  The yoke needed to be flipped.  Once I took everything in the winding mechanism out and reinstalled all the parts, the yoke fit perfectly into the notch on the stem.  

However, in this new configuration there are other problems.  The stem can be pulled out easily and the last gear on the stem cannot be lifted off the wheel that permits setting the time.  It seems that the piece, marked by the tip of my tweezers in the picture, Des not fit deeply enough in the outermost notch in the stem to hold the stem in place.  It engages slightly, but releases under slight pressure pressure to allow the stem to pull out.  

That is a great tip about using the plastic bag to prevent springs and other parts from flying away!  I used it in this latest attack on the watch and it prevented at least one part from taking an orbit around my work space.  image.jpegimage.jpege

Best regards,

Bill

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Bill, once you had everything in place, did you tighen the screw on the other side of the movement which holds the setting lever in? This should ensure that the pin on the bottom of it stays securely in the groove of the stem.

If this is tight and the stem still pulls out, then you can likely infer one of 2 issues - either the pin is worn and the lever needs replacing, or something is stopping the lever from sitting down properly.

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StuartBaker104,

Thank you for your interest.  Yes, I tightened the screw on the other side of the movement that holds the setting lever.  I am leaning toward the second of the two issues that you mentioned as possible causes of the stem not staying in.  I do not think it is a worn lever because it was working well just a few days ago and was working well after one of the many attempts I have made to reassemble the watch.  

That leaves your second issue "something is stopping the lever from sitting down properly."  I have peered at it with various magnifications, pulled the stem up and down, and taken it out a number of times and for the life of me I cannot find anything.  

Thanks again for your input.

Best regards,

Bill

 

2 hours ago, StuartBaker104 said:

Bill, once you had everything in place, did you tighen the screw on the other side of the movement which holds the setting lever in? This should ensure that the pin on the bottom of it stays securely in the groove of the stem.

If this is tight and the stem still pulls out, then you can likely infer one of 2 issues - either the pin is worn and the lever needs replacing, or something is stopping the lever from sitting down properly.

 

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  • 1 year later...
On ‎11‎/‎17‎/‎2016 at 11:59 PM, anilv said:

Hi Bill,

 

The way I see it, the little post (A in red below, called the set-lever) needs to be under the 'set-lever spring' so that it rides in the two troughs (B in red). There seems to be a part missing, you would usually find the yoke fitted in the slot marked in yellow below,

The Blue arrow is the end of the screw from the other side.

 

Bulova 1..jpg

I'm not too familiar with this movement but I think the part indicated by the yellow arrow below could be the yoke. Can it be moved so that it sits in the slot I mentioned earlier (red arrow below). The yoke spring (indicated by the green arrown below) will need to apply pressure on the yoke so that the winding pinion (red arrow thing) is pushed in the direction of the blue arrow. This will allow it to engage the clutch wheel (sorry no more arrows).Bulova 2.jpg

The set-lever piece (which your oiler is indicating) is usually installed first, followed by the yoke-lever and yoke spring. Then the set-lever spring/bridge (part indicated with the red B in the first pic above).

Hope this sorts out your problem.

 

Anil

 

how do you make those arrows in the post? (good pix.)  vin

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