Automatic Pinion/Wheel Cutting Machine, c.1888
Duane H. Church
Waltham, Massachusetts
At the age of 16, Duane H. Church (1849-1905) began his watchmaking apprenticeship under J.E. Gridely, who daily reminded his charge: "Never leave a piece of work until you have done the best you can do". Church credited his success to these words. By 1882, he was employed by the Waltham Watch Company, rising rapidly to the position of Mechanical Superintendent. His obituary stated that by 1902
"...he had already devised over 150 machines and improvements, the effect being to increase the capacity of the factory from 1700 watches a day with 3000 employees to 2700 watches a day with 3200 employees, and there has been an increased accuracy in the production of parts of watches..."
This machine cut pinions using a circular loading plate to hold blanks, a cam-driven picker arm to feed the machine, and a form cutter to cut the teeth. The number of teeth cut on a pinion or wheel was controlled by a count wheel on the spindle. By using a feeding tube and a fly form cutter, the machine could be adapted to cut either individual wheels or stacks of wheels. Due to the automatic feeding mechanism, this machine did not require an individual to constantly monitor its operation. Instead, an employee could supervise several of these cutters running simultaneously.
Purchased with Museum Acquisition Funds
1997.46.3