What was the significant problem introduced by the coiled mainspring compared to falling weights?
Answer
It exerted maximum force when fully wound and less as it unwound
A coiled mainspring exerts maximum force when fully wound, and this force progressively decreases as the spring unwinds and slackens, unlike a falling weight which exerts a nearly constant force.
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?