The detent escapement: from marine chronometers to wristwatches | Time and Watches
The detent escapement: from marine chronometers to wristwatches An escapement is a device in mechanical watches that transforms the energy from the unwinding of a coiled spring (the power source) into countable impulses. In particular, each swing of the balance wheel releases a tooth of the escapement's escape wheel gear, allowing the clock's gear train to advance or "escape" by a fixed amount. This regular periodic advancement moves the clock's hands forward at a steady rate. Without the escapement, the spring would unwind in a few seconds making the wheel turn too fast, just like a coil spr...
Source: timeandwatches.com