page_title: Clockwork
section_title: Overview
hierarchical_section_title: Clockwork / Overview
caption_attribution_description: Español: Maquinaria de un Reloj de Péndulo Ansonia English: Mechanism of a Wall Clock Ansonia
context_page_description: Clockwork refers to the inner workings of either mechanical machines called clocks or other mechanisms that work similarly, using a complex series of gears.
  A clockwork mechanism is often powered by a clockwork motor consisting of a mainspring, a spiral torsion spring of metal ribbon. Energy is stored in the mainspring manually by winding it up, turning a key attached to a ratchet which twists the mainspring tighter. Then the force of the mainspring turns the clockwork gears, until the stored energy is used up. The adjectives wind-up and spring-powered refer to mainspring-powered clockwork devices, which include clocks and watches, kitchen timers, music boxes, and wind-up toys.
context_section_description: Often power for the device is stored within it, via a winding device that applies mechanical stress to an energy-storage mechanism such as a mainspring, thus involving some form of escapement; in other cases, hand power may be utilized. The use of wheels, whether linked by friction or gear teeth, to redirect motion or gain speed or torque, is typical; many clockwork mechanisms have been constructed primarily to serve as visible or implicit tours de force of mechanical ingenuity in this area. Sometimes clocks and timing mechanisms are used to set off explosives, timers, alarms and many other devices.
caption: Mechanism of a Wall Clock, Ansonia Co. 1904
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