Clock escapement
Date
9 February 1678
Creator
John Flamsteed (1646 - 1719, British) , Astronomer
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
f31 p1r
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 308mm
width (page): 198mm
width (page): 198mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Figure of part of an escapement of a clock. In his letter to Richard Towneley dated 9 February 1678, Flamsteed conjectured that the shape of the 'pallets' (the parts of the escapement that engage with the crown wheel) in the escapement might explain why the clock at Greenwich began going too fast after being adjusted by Thomas Tompion.
Transcription
aab: are in the same plane. but the pallets pp are curved bacwards and stand slipping form each other as in yours, perhaps the lesse vibrations and easier escapeing in this way may have contributed something to the extraordinary acceleration afore mentioned.
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Related fellows
John Flamsteed (1646 - 1719, British) , Astronomer
Associated place