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THE SETTING LEVER

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1. General description

The setting lever commonly belongs to the winding mechanisms and the time setting. It is a lever operated by the Winding stem which allows switching and holding the Lever / Rocker in its two positions (winding and time-setting). Additionally, the Setting lever keeps the Winding stem fixed to the Movement.

Figure 1

Diagram of a Setting lever

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Figure 2

Lever / Rocker between the Winding mechanism and the time-setting mechanism

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2. History

The Setting lever appeared in 1847 with the invention of the Lever / Rocker winding mechanism by Antoine Le Coultre. It has since made it possible to switch the control of the Crown between the winding mechanism and the time-setting mechanism, at the very least.

The major developments brought to Le Coultre’s invention consisted in multiplying the functions adjustable by the crown. As a result, the function of the setting lever and its profile can be more or less complex.

3. Artisanal manufacture of a setting lever

The horologist begins the artisanal manufacture of the setting lever by engraving its profile using a scribing point on the surface of a plate of steel with a thickness slightly greater than that of the finished component. He then marks the drilling points for its screw and its stud. Then he carefully cuts out the outline of the setting lever using a piercing saw (jeweler’s saw). The sides of the piece are then filed to bring the setting lever to its final thickness while strictly respecting its shape. The setting lever is then beveled and polished using the usual tools (files, scrapers, polishing). According to the rules of the art, the craftsman then draws out the lines of the sides of the piece (satin finish) and the flat surface that remains on the upper surface of the setting lever.

When the setting lever is close to its final dimensions, the Horologist (watchmaker) adjusts the function linking the setting lever to the lever by pre-assembling the two components to the main plate. More than a drawing dimension, this is typically an action for which the craftsman’s eye and hand remain the best tools. The setting lever stud can then be press-fitted. The Heat treatments and the whitening operations follow, and the setting lever is then ready to be assembled.

4. Semi-industrial manufacturing of a setting lever

To optimize the production costs of a single piece or a small series of components, Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is particularly advantageous here. The implementation costs and the machine processing time remain relatively low and suited to small production volumes. Moreover, this technology allows complex and thin profiles to be cut without exerting any mechanical stress on the component during its manufacturing. Compared to the artisanal method, cutting by electrical discharge machining (EDM) offers considerable time savings with good repercussions on the Decoration steps. The end of the manufacturing and decoration process is similar to the artisanal method or in terms of the finishing required.

5. Industrial production of a setting lever

Large-scale production justifies the investment in a stamping die (striking tool) to manufacture Setting levers at an optimal cost. The enlarged outline of the profile is thus punched directly into a strip of Steel with a thickness slightly greater than that of the finished component, using a stamping press. Manual steps nevertheless remain essential. The Lever / Rocker must be brought to its final dimensions (profile and thickness) while giving it the desired finishes and Decorations (Satin finish, Beveling / Angling etc.).