 | ||
 |  |  |
Mudge's Gravity Escapement
To use any of the clipart images above (including the thumbnail image in the top left corner), just click and drag the picture to your desktop. You may also control-click (Mac) or right-click (Windows) and choose "Save file to disk" from the pop-up menu. Click here for help downloading and using clipart files.
* A TIFF file is a high-resolution (240 dpi) format. TIFF files should be used only if you are printing the clipart. Do NOT use TIFF files for clipart that will displayed on a computer screen. Click here for help downloading and using TIFF files. File Name: 58749_gravity-esc
Description: A gravity escapement uses a small weight or a weak spring to give an impulse directly to the pendulum. The earliest form consisted of two arms which were pivoted very close to the suspension spring of the pendulum with one arm on each side of the pendulum. Each arm carried a small dead beat pallet with an angled plane leading to it. When the pendulum lifted one arm far enough its pallet would release the escape wheel. Almost immediately another tooth on the escape wheel would start to slide up the angle face on the other arm thereby lifting the arm. It would reach the pallet and stop. The other arm meanwhile was still in contact with pendulum and coming down again to a point lower than it had started from. This lowering of the arm provides the impulse to the pendulum. The design was developed steadily from the middle of the 18th century to the middle of the 19th century. It eventually became the escapement of choice for turret clocks.
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica (11th ed., vol. 6) (New York: The Encyclopaedia Britannica Company, 1910) 6:544
Keywords: gravity escapement, pendulum, turret clocks, Mudge
Copyright: 2009, Florida Center for Instructional Technology. See license.
| Main Menu | Site Map | Search | License | Clipart Help |
Clipart ETC is a part of the Educational Technology Clearinghouse and is funded by various grants. Produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of South Florida. Email the project manager.