The History of Timekeeping

Sundial

Clepsydra

Astrolabe

Candle Clock

Sandglass

Mechanical Clock

Spring-Driven Clock

Pendulum Clock

Quartz Clock

Cesium Atomic Clock

 

Mechanical Clock
  The inventor and the time in which the mechanical clock was invented is yet to be discovered. Some believe it was invented during the 1270s in Europe. The mechanical clock works by a weight that is connected to a pole called a verge. This piece is constantly wound around the main gear shaft. As this happens, the weight is lowered due to the gravity which then rotates the barrel and this is what drives the escape and wheel. But what is really unique about this type of clock is the escapement, most commonly the verge-and-foliot. This escapement works by the verge mentioned above and the pallets which are two small, squarelike objects extended on the top and bottom. When the wheel turns the top pallet stops the escape wheel and makes the foliot oscillate. Not only does it move the verge-and-foliot, but it also loosens the grip of the top pallet. This then continues with the bottom pallet and then continues some more as it alternates pallets.