gravity escapement

noun

Horology.

1. an escapement, used especially in large outdoor clocks, in which the impulse is given to the pendulum by means of a weight falling through a certain distance.

Word History and Origins

Origin of gravity escapement¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

The piece driven by the pendulum is a rare Denison double three-legged gravity escapement, he added - originally developed for Big Ben in London, he said it’s the most accurate type of escapement for a tower clock mechanism.

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It was a relic of the past, an original E. Howard clock from Boston, Model No. 3 gravity escapement.

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A better construction, afterwards introduced, is to make the fly separate from the letting-off arms, whereby the blow on the cylinder is diminished, the fly being allowed to go on as in the gravity escapement.

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No turret clock without either a train remontoire or a gravity escapement will approach that degree of accuracy.

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The double three-legged gravity escapement, which was first used in the Westminster clock, is shown in fig.

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