Power Escapement Ratchet With Detachable Regulator
- Title:
- Power Escapement Ratchet With Detachable Regulator
- Title (German):
- Schaltwerk mit laufendem Gesperre und abnehmbarer Steuerung. Die Steuerung passt auch zu No.23
- Collection:
- Reuleaux Kinematic Mechanisms Collection
- Set:
- N. Ratchet Mechanisms
- Designer:
- Reuleaux, F. (Franz), 1829-1905
- Manufacturer:
- Gustav Voigt Werkstatt
- Date:
- 1882
- Country:
- Germany
- Voigt Catalog Model:
- N22
- File Name:
- N22.jpg
- Work Type:
- Mechanical model
- Materials/Techniques:
- cast iron and brass on wood pedestal
- Subject:
- ratchet, escapement
Kinematics of Machinery - Measurement:
- 289 x 90 (millimeters, width x depth)
406 x 100 x 305 (millimeters, width x depth x height) - Description:
- Models 20, 22, 24, 25, 26 fall into a category of mechanisms that Reuleaux called power escapements. Escapements in clocks regulate small amounts of energy to keep the pendulum swinging (e.g., see model X-3). Power escapements regulate the motion of larger energy systems. Reuleaux seems to have designed these models as analogs to dynamic regulators, such as the rotating balls of Watt’s speed regulator in steam engines. Reuleaux gave only one description of a power escapement for model N-26 in The Constructor. However, he did not give a direct application for these mechanisms. Neither do they appear in later treatises or in more modern model collections. Perhaps one can call them “the mystery mechanisms”. In this model a lever and pawl engages a ratchet wheel to lift or lower a heavy weight. The inverted pendulum and the weight below automatically return the lever to its original position. The lower weight is also detachable from the lever. The reference in the German title to model N-23 is not clear since there is no picture of N-23 in the graphical section of the Voigt catalog. An application of a power escapement of the verge and foliet type (model X-1) for speed regulation of a pulley-driven water pump may be seen in the 17th century compendium of machines book by Jacob de Strada. [Francis Moon 2004-07-00]
The 220 models in Cornell University’s Reuleaux Collection were built in the late 19th century to demonstrate the elements of machine motion, as theorized by the German engineer Franz Reuleaux. The University acquired the models in 1882 for use in teaching and research. The Reuleaux models are classified according to the alphanumeric schema employed in the catalog of the manufacturer, Gustav Voigt. The letter in a model's ID (e.g., B14 or S35) refers to a class of mechanism; the number is a specific instance of the class. This classification scheme is a simplified version of the taxonomy of machine elements elaborated in Reuleaux's work. - Repository:
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- Photography credit: Jon Reis (www.jonreis.com). Jon Reis Photography grants Cornell University Libraries and the Cornell College of Engineering the rights to display copyrighted images of the Reuleux collection of kinetic machines on the Cornell University and National Science Digital Library web sites and for unlimited use in Cornell University Library publications for education purposes only. Rights for all other uses, including but not limited to, editorial, commercial, advertising, web use and display by third parties not affiliated with Cornell University are reserved by the photographer. The written permission of any copyright and other rights holders is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use that extends beyond what is authorized by fair use and other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item. For questions about this item or other items please contact the Physical Sciences Librarians at pslref@cornell.edu.