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The Riefler escapement is a mechanical escapement for precision pendulum clocks invented and patented [1] by German instrument maker Sigmund Riefler in 1889. [2] It was used in the astronomical regulator clocks made by his German firm Clemens Riefler from 1890 to 1965, [ 3 ] which were perhaps the most accurate all-mechanical pendulum clocks made.
Sigmund Riefler was born on 9 August 1847 to Magdalena and Clemens Riefler. He studied mathematics, geodesy and mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Munich, and then physics and astronomy at the University of Munich. From 1870 he worked as an engineer in the Royal Prussian Land Survey, surveying land in Schleswig. [3]
The Riefler escapement, used in Clemens-Riefler regulator clocks was accurate to 10 milliseconds per day. Electromagnetic escapements, which used a switch or phototube to turn on a solenoid electromagnet to give the pendulum an impulse without requiring a mechanical linkage, were developed.
Riefler escapement; V. Verge escapement; Media in category "Escapements" This category contains only the following file. Figure 6.tif 1,220 × 908; 1.68 MB
The escapement is driven by force from a coiled spring or a suspended weight, transmitted through the timepiece's gear train. Each swing of the pendulum or balance wheel releases a tooth of the escapement's escape wheel, allowing the clock's gear train to advance or "escape" by a fixed amount. This regular periodic advancement moves the clock's ...
The escapement was never mass produced, and no examples are known to exist. It might be relevent to the Sigmund Reifler biographical article but not here, as the watch escapement was necessarily different from his pendulum clock escapement. There is a more important problem with this article. Riefler invented two pendulum clock escapements.
The primary and secondary pendulums were linked together in a feedback loop which kept the secondary synchronized with the primary. [1] [14] The secondary clock had a mechanical escapement using a 15 tooth count wheel which was moved forward each right-hand pendulum swing by a pawl attached to the pendulum.
The escapement embodies Burgess's improved version of a Grimthorpe gravity escapement. The clock has ting-tang quarter striking and hour striking. It is now in a private collection. [6] The Schroder clock was commissioned by the merchant bank Schroder Wagg in 1969, for a new building at 120 Cheapside. It was designed to cover a large part of a ...