Who Invented the First Mechanical Clock?
Mechanical clocks replaced the water clocks that had been used for thousands of years. No one knows who invented the first mechanical clock, but clues exist to its development and rapid spread across Europe.
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Features
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Mechanical clocks contain an escapement that ticks in a repetitive rhythm, moving the gears of the clock forward in short, equal jumps. The escapement is a notched wheel that controls the speed and regularity of the clock's operation.
History
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French architect Villard de Honnecourt described the first escapement in 1250, though he did not use it to make a clock. He built a device to point at the sun as it journeyed across the sky.
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Time Frame
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The first mechanical clocks were built in the late 13th century. The first mechanical clock tower viewed by the public was erected in Milan, Italy, in 1335.
Significance
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The Catholic Church seized upon the idea of accurate timepieces and spread the technology throughout Western Europe. Bells rang at specific times for the call to prayer.
Effects
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The mechanical clock changed the common practice of measuring time by seasons, reducing it to days and then hours.
Misconceptions
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The first mechanical clocks were no more accurate than ancient water clocks. Both were off by about 15 minutes by the end of the day.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Mark Cummins/flickr, amandabhslater/flickr
