What primarily powered timekeeping mechanisms before the invention of the spring clock?
Answer
Falling weights or draining liquid
Prior to the spring clock, timekeeping mechanisms relied overwhelmingly on gravity, using falling weights or draining liquid (like in water clocks) to power their movements. This is contrasted with the dependence on vertical gravity inherent in weight-driven clocks.
Related Questions
What primarily powered timekeeping mechanisms before the invention of the spring clock?What key component enabled the portability of timekeepers and was developed in the early 15th century?To whom is the production of the first spring-driven clock in 1510 attributed?What was the significant problem introduced by the coiled mainspring compared to falling weights?What mechanical solution was engineered in the early 16th century to combat the non-linear power output of the mainspring?What was the initial 'victory' achieved by the early spring-driven timepieces, even if precision lagged?Which component, invented around 1675 by Huygens and Hooke, provided spring-driven devices with an accuracy approaching pendulum clocks?What specific flaw made early water clocks (clepsydrae) inaccurate?Which escapement was crucial for the massive, weight-driven mechanical clocks emerging around the 13th and 14th centuries?What historical event cemented the wristwatch’s role for men, long after the core spring mechanism was perfected?