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escape wheel
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Typical components of a mechanical watch. Labeled diagram of a watch mainspring mechanism showing interconnected gears, the mainspring, balance wheel, winding pinion, escape wheel, and hands for hours, minutes, and seconds. Diagram of an anchor escapement mechanism showing a pendulum attached to pallets that interact with an escape wheel, illustrating how this system regulates time in pendulum clocks. Diagram of a verge-and-foliot escapement mechanism in a mechanical clock, showing the escape wheel, vertical verge shaft with pallets, horizontal foliot bar, and regulating weights. Diagram of a pendulum clock with labeled internal components, including the pendulum, driving weight, barrel, gears, anchor, pallet, escape wheel, and the clock face showing the hour, minute, and second hands.
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escape wheel

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Quick Summary

Typical components of a mechanical watch.
Typical components of a mechanical watch.

An escape wheel is the final wheel in a timepiece's gear train. Its specially shaped teeth are designed to interact with a pallet or lever, controlling the release of energy from the power source to the counting mechanism. This controlled release is the function of the escapement, a crucial component in watches and clocks that allows for precise, step-by-step motion. Without the escapement, the energy from the mainspring or weight would be released all at once, preventing accurate timekeeping.12

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