How a Cuckoo Clock Works
A cuckoo clock is a very traditional type of clock that has been around since the 17th century. It is distinguished by its pendulum, and a gong that resembles the call of a Cuckoo bird. Though there have been many variations of the clock over the centuries, the clock is typically hung on a wall and all work in the same way. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Pendelum
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Every time the pendulum swings back and forth, the second hand moves ahead once on the clock. According to Merritt's Antiques, the length of the shaft is the deciding factor for how long it takes the pendulum to swing. Clock makers calibrate the various clock shafts so one swing equals one second of time.
Gears
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A series of weights and gears inside the clock regulate the movement of its hands. The weights are tied around the gears with chains and descend like weighted pulleys with the swinging of the pendulum. This action it turn spins the gears. In short, the weights power the internal workings of the clock. One weight controls the movement of the hands, another controls the chime or music and a third controls the cuckoo bird.
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Chime
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The distinct chime is created by the dinging of two air-tight bellows and whistles. The bellows are filled with air when they are lifted by tension wires attached the clock's gears. When it's time, the gears release the tension on the bellows and cause them to rapidly descend. The air rushes from the bellows and through the whistles. One whistle will make the "cu" sound, and the other will make the "koo" sound.
The Bird
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The wooden (or plastic) cuckoo bird sits on a hinged bracket inside tiny doors on the clock. The bracket is connected to the gears in the same fashion as the bellows and whistles. On the hour, a tension wire releases to shoot the bird out the doors in sync with the "cuckoo" sound. It then wraps back around gears, slowly bringing the bird back through the doors and into the clock.
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References
- Photo Credit Coucou et Horloge image by Stéphane BOURHIS from Fotolia.com
