How did the weight of the coin initiate water flow in Hero's specific lever mechanism?
Answer
The coin landed on one end of a lever, depressing it and causing the opposite end to rise and open a valve
Hero's engineering relied on the direct mechanical transfer of force via a lever system. When the appropriate coin was dropped, its weight acted upon one end of the lever, forcing that end down. This movement mechanically lifted the opposing end of the lever. It was the rising action of this opposite end that directly opened the valve connected to the reservoir, permitting the flow of holy water. The flow ceased only after the coin slid off the lever platform, allowing the lever to reset via its own structure or an internal counterweight, thus closing the valve.
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