Abstract
Abstract. This article examines the historical development of ancient water-powered mechanical clocks. The study begins with a comprehensive analysis and comparison of the different types of ancient clepsydra, their use and development and the development of their feedback systems, power systems, and time-reporting systems. Before becoming mechanized, water clocks (clepsydra) were mainly used for astronomical timekeeping, during religious sacrifices, for military affairs, court litigation timekeeping, and the time allocation of water rights. The invention of the feedback system in the 3rd century before common era (BCE) opened the door to the mechanization of water clocks. The float is the earliest power-driven element. In the 8th century, the emergence of waterwheels with timing functions in water-powered mechanical clocks prompted ancient China to develop water-powered mechanical clocks with waterwheel steelyard clepsydra devices, time-reporting devices, astronomical demonstration devices, and multiple time-reporting wooden pavilions. After the 13th century, mechanical clocks started to integrate elements from Chinese and Western cultures. In addition to the development of new styles of water-powered mechanical clocks in ancient China, the Western mercury wheels with timing functions evolved into compartmented cylindrical mercury clocks.
Highlights
In ancient times, human observed changes in the Sun and Moon and developed the system of the calendar to help advance agriculture
The water-powered mechanical clock of Ctesibius uses a float as the power drive system and uses a sundial to correct the water flow rate of the flow control valve to improve the accuracy of the water clock (Rose, 1867)
Waterpowered mechanical clocks in ancient China were used in astronomical observations, and most were water-powered
Summary
Human observed changes in the Sun and Moon and developed the system of the calendar to help advance agriculture. The West developed water-powered mechanical clocks with a float as a power input element, a rope hammer as a transmission system, and a time-reporting and time-showing system. After the 8th century, ancient China began to develop water-powered mechanical clocks with waterwheels as the driving element. Water-powered mechanical clocks with a waterwheel steelyard clepsydra device, a time-reporting mechanism, an astronomical demonstration device, and a multi-storey timereporting and time-showing pavilion were invented. Water-powered mechanical clocks can be divided into three categories, namely those that were water-powered, those that included time-reporting mechanisms, and those without astronomical instruments (Lin, 2001). Apart from studies on the waterwheel steelyard clepsydra clock tower built by Su Song (1020–1101 CE) during the northern Song dynasty, there has been a lack of in-depth studies and work on water-powered astronomical clocks to replicate the original system. A systematic study, analysis, and comparison are carried out so as to identify the requirements necessary to reconstruct the original design of a water-powered mechanical clock, which in turn could be used as a basis for a systematic, restorative study of water-powered astronomical clocks
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