Clock

Clock

Any instrument other than a watch for measuring or indicating time, especially a mechanical or electronic device having a numbered dial and moving hands or a digital display.

Industry: Chronometry

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Clock

The commonest form of sundial, in which the shadow of a gnomon whose edge is parallel to the earth's axis falls on a horizontal surface. Usually this carries only the hour lines, but occasionally a ...

Hooded clock

Chronometry; Clock

A type of wall clock in which only the movement and dial are enclosed by a hood and the weights and pendulum hang down below. This is a considerable disadvantage as the pendulum may easily be ...

Hollow column clock

Chronometry; Clock

E. & G. Bartholomew, casemakers at Bristol, Connecticut, introduced the hollow column Connecticut shelf clock for 30-hour wooden movements c. 1830. This Empire-style case had a moulded cornice with 3 ...

Hog's bristle

Chronometry; Clock

Prebalance-spring clocks sometimes had an adjustable arm carrying two hog's bristles positioned to bank the foliot or balance arms. They allowed finer adjustments of rate than were possible by ...

Hodometer

Chronometry; Clock

A device which can be coupled to the wheels of a carriage to record the number of revolutions made by the wheel, from which the distance traversed along the road can be inferred.

Polyhedral sundial

Chronometry; Clock

Providing that the style, or shadow-casting edge, of a sundial is parallel to the Earth's axis, hour lines can be drawn on any surface on which the sun shines. This allows the designer of dials to ...

Polishing muller, or stake

Chronometry; Clock

A block of steel with a flat polished surface on which a polishing medium such as rouge is mixed with oil. It is usually contained in a wooden box to keep out dust and grit.