The Elgin Grade 760, 761

Service Bulletin
This information is from an Elgin service bulletin mailed out to
watchmakers in 1960 as an update for their Elgin manuals. It covers
the new 760 and 761 grade automatic wristwatch products.
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6.81 Grades 760, 761

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Elgin grades 760 and 761 are self-winding movements, 6/0

There's more information
size. Grade 760 has 30 working jewels, 761 has 27 working
about vintage watches,
jewels. Both grades have 360 degree rotors that wind in either more about the Elgin
direction. Both grades have DuraBalance and DuraPower
National Watch
mainsprings. Grade 760 has a "beat-adjusting" device that will Company, and more
enable the watchmaker to place the watch in beat easier. This is photos on
covered in detail under primary number 22.0.
theElginTime watch blog
, here.
The 6/0 self-winding movement is unique in design. The
following features should be noted:
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Power train and self-wind are located under the train welcome, and will help
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and barrel bridges.
vintage Elgin
Approximately 30 less parts are in the movement, as information!
compared to other types of self-winders.

The fewer number of parts make the movement very

easy to service.

The center wheel is located off center but is still the

second wheel in power sequence.

A split hand driver gear drives the dial train.

Cannon Pinion is not dimpled but is free on the hollow

center post.

When setting watch, split hand driver gear slips on

lower center wheel pivot.

Winding and setting mechanism design adds to the

thinness of the movement.

Movement is ready for servicing by removing one

screw and lifting off rotor.

Long rotor post adds to the stability of the rotor.

Rotor is cleaned as a unit and is not disassembled.

Rotor consists of two directional driving gears. Each

contains three functional jewels. These gears are
mounted on a hub that is permanently attached to the
rotor.

Driving gear A and gear assembly B (Figures 2 and 3) contain

three thin, round jewels. These jewels move freely in tapered
elongated slots . The slots in gear A are opposite in direction
to those of gear assembly B. As the rotor moves in a counterclockwise direction, the jewels in gear A bind between the side
wall of the gear slot and the hub. This action winds the
mainspring through the selfwinding train. Gear assembly B
will idle. When the rotor reverses direction, gear assembly B
will wind and gear A will idle.

The self-winding train has two different winding ratios. When

the mainspring is nearly unwound, the rotor winds quickly in
both directions. With the mainspring nearly full-wound, the
rotor turns freely in only one direction, and mayor may not
turn under its own weight in the other direction. This action
should not be misinterpreted as a faulty condition if noted
during servicing.
The rotor assembly is a single unit. It does not require
disassembly during service. Because of the necessity for
special tools and techniques, it is recommended that the
watchmaker not attempt to service the rotor assembly. If a
replacement part is ever needed for the rotor because of wear,
the entire unit should be sent to your nearest Authorized Elgin
Material Distributor for exchange. Your distributor will
exchange the worn rotor with a refurbished rotor at a nominal
cost. Or, if you want a completely new rotor, your distributor
will supply it to you at a slightly higher cost. Separate parts for
the rotor are not available.
Exploded View of Movement

(1) Rotor retainer clomp screw

(2) Rotor retainer clamp
(3) Flanged rotor stud
(4) Rotor assembly
(5) Click
(6) Barrel bridge
(7) Rotor idler pinion
(8) First automatic winding wheel
(9) Second automatic winding wheel
(10) Barrel
(11) Ratchet wheel
(12) Idler ratchet wheel clamp screw
(13) Idler wheel ratchet clamp
(14) Ratchet idler wheel
(15) Train bridge
(16) Center wheel
(17) Hand driver wheel
(18) Minute wheel clamp and setting lever spring

(19) Winding and setting wheel

(20) Washer
(21) Winding wheel
(22) Setting wheel
(23) Rocker plate
(24) Stem
(25) Bevel pinion
(26) Center bridge
(27) Third wheel
(28) Sweep second pinion
(29) Sweep second Friction spring
(30) Balance cock
(31) DuraBalance
(32) Pallet bridge
(33) Pallet
(34) Fourth wheel
(35) Escape wheel
(36) Pillar plate
(37) Minute wheel

(38) Cannon pinion

(39) Hour wheel
(40) Setting lever
(41) Setting lever screw
6.81 To Disassemble for Servicing
a) Remove hands, dial, hour wheel and cannon pinion from
movement.
b) Remove rotor retainer clamp screw (1) and rotor retainer
clamp (2). When screw is removed, push clamp away from
flanged rotor stud (3) and remove with tweezers.
c) Remove rotor assembly (4) with tweezers or invert
movement and allow rotor to fall free. NOTE: To clean rotor
assembly see paragraph 6.92.
d) Let down mainspring slowly in normal manner. Note: It is
impossible to let down mainspring with rotor attached.

m) Remove minute wheel clamp and setting lever spring

assembly (18), also minute wheel.
n) Remove rocker plate assembly, winding and setting wheel
(19) and washer (20).
NOTE: Winding wheel (21) and setting wheel (22) are
permanently attached to rocker plate (23).
To lubricate see paragraph 6.91.
o) Remove stem (24) and bevel pinion (25).
p) Remove center bridge (26) and third wheel (27).
q) Remove sweep second pinion (28) (see figure 7).
1) Remove sweep second friction spring (29). Caution
should be exercised in removing the sweep second friction
spring. This spring is located between the sweep second pinion
and the pillar plate.
2) When reassembling movement the center bridge should be
in contact with the top of the sweep second pinion. In this
position the sweep second friction spring will be under a slight
tension.

6.82 To Reassemble, reverse the disassembly procedure.

6.9 To Service Elgin Grades 760 and 761.
This movement being disassembled according to procedures in
paragraph 6.8, care should be exercised to lubricate only
certain parts and to check certain points as given in paragraphs
6.91 and 6.92 before reassembling.
6.91 To Lubricate (see figure 4 for points of lubrication)
Proceed in the conventional manner, except that these points
should be carefully observed:
a) Do not disassemble the barrel. The mainspring is
permanently lubricated. To service, merely brush the barrel
teeth and re-oil the barrel arbor pivots with Elgin M-56B.
b) Lubricate with Elgin M-56B:
1) Rotor idler pinion post.
2) Flanged rotor stud.
3) Hand driver.
c) Lubricate with heavy oil or light grease such as Vaseline:
1) Rocker plate post.
2) Tip of set lever spring.
3) Ratchet idler wheel post.
d) Do not lubricate:

1) Winding wheel (in rocker plate).

2) Setting wheel (in rocker plate).
3) Barrel arbor.
4) Mainspring.
6.92 Clean rotor assembly in conventional manner without
disassembly. Rotor should be thoroughly dried after
cleaning.
6.93 Check Points
When servicing, check the following points:
a) Spring tension on click (5) should not exert excessive
pressure on first automatic winding wheel.
b) Rotor gears should move freely in opposing directions.
c) Case screws should be tight to avoid their working loose to
interfere with rotor rotation.