I purchased the following Elgin because of the 3 Finger Bridge and besides having a fancy dial as well.

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979

I'd like to get a discussion rolling regarding 3 Finger Bridge. What's the function of a 3 Finger Bridge, differences, a bonus?

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979

Elgin, 16s, 17j, adjusted, open face and sidewinder as well!
Grade 241

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979

Hi Stephanie,

The bonus as far as the 3 finger bridge is the greater ease of locating the top pivots during reassembly. It is easy to get to the train wheels and manipulate them into the proper position.

Rob

I like pendant-set hunter movements. Grade 241’s were among the roughly one out of four hunter movements that were pendant-set. Pendant-setting comes in especially handy when a hunter movement is placed in an open-face case, sidewinder-style.

I like bridge movements, too, because I can see more of what Lindell calls the engine room.

Stu

Asthertics is all.

Sure the 3 fb movements are easier to work on but I believe it was for asthetic reasons only. They are very pretty movements. I have a grade 270 which I believe is one of the prettiest 16s Elgins mads aside from the Convertables. Stephanie, these are just pure eye candy in my opinion. Being an Elgin nut and all. You can take the equivilant 3/4 plate movement and they are rather mundane in my opinion but the bridge models are beautiful.

Just my .02$

Aaron

This looks very much like a Swiss bar movement. How is it different?

George, on most Swiss bar movements the mainspring barrel is held by one bar-like bridge and the center wheel is held by a separate bridge (see upper two examples in the attached picture). The third, fourth and escape wheel are also supported by separate bars. On the Elgin the three finger-bridges are actually all one piece, and the mainspring barrel and center wheel are under a separate plate or bridge.

1. Elgin "B.W. Raymond" # 12,283,540, 17j, HC, (2,000 made)
2. Rockford "Prince of Wales" # 593,331, 21j, OF (650 made)
3. Illinois "Burlington Special" # 1,201,230, 19j, OF (???? made)

It looks as though the "Prince" has a bit of a "fat finger!"

================

Steve Maddox
Past President, NAWCC Chapter #62
North Little Rock, Arkansas
IHC Charter Member 49

Hi Rob,
Okay, 3FB serves a purpose in that it makes for easy reassembly.

Stu,
Thanks for your response.

Aaron,
Uh, a matter of aesthetics. Okay! They are quite beautiful, aren't they? I'd like to view your grade 270 3FB. Do you have a digital camera? Thanks.

George E.,
Interesting question you raised which Jerry T. answered well.

Jerry T.,
Thanks for information as well as posting pictures of Swiss bar movements for comparison. I found to be very interesting.

Steve M.,
Thanks to you as well for your pictures of three beautiful damaskeening Three Finger Bridge movements! I wondered if other manufacturers produced 3FB movements and now I know.

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979

Nope. No camera yet. I thought the wife got one but I'll just have to do it myself. Maybe after tax season. I owe 5 digits this year.

This sefe employment is not all people think it is.
Glad to be out of it and have a job thats for sure.

Aaron