crown wheel

American  

noun

Horology.

1. a wheel next to the winding knob, having two sets of teeth, one at right angles to its plane.

2. any of various wheels having the form of a hoop or short cylinder with a serrated edge, as the escape wheel in a verge escapement.

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crown wheel British  

noun

1. horology the wheel next to the winding knob that has one set of teeth at right angles to the other

2. the larger of the two gears in a bevel gear

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Etymology

Origin of crown wheel

First recorded in 1640–50

Example Sentences

As the crown wheel was turned round the teeth pushed the pallets alternately until one or the other slid past a tooth, and thus let the crown wheel rotate.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 5 "Clervaux" to "Cockade" by Various

Clock of de Dondi, showing gearing on the dial for Mercury and escapement crown wheel.

From On the Origin of Clockwork, Perpetual Motion Devices, and the Compass by Price, Derek J. de Solla (Derek John de Solla)

It is evident that when the force of any tooth on the crown wheel began to act on a pallet, it communicated motion to the balance and thus caused it to rotate.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 5 "Clervaux" to "Cockade" by Various

Then such clocks, together with those having a crown wheel escapement, went in turn out of vogue and the anchor escapement ushered in what is commonly known as the grandfather clock.

From Christopher and the Clockmakers by Stecher, William F. (William Frederick)

These teeth, D, engaged with pallets CB, CA, mounted on a verge or staff placed parallel to the face of the crown wheel.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 5 "Clervaux" to "Cockade" by Various