Congreve clock

The Kugellaufuhr belongs to the table clocks and was invented in the 16th century by Margraf and Grollier de Serriere.

Technology

When Kugellaufuhr one or more balls run over an inclined chute from top to bottom, which is used as a drive or merely serves the optics. Because where the, is regulated by the pendulum escapement in other table clocks, in this type clock a ball is placed in a precisely defined period of time in motion. The ball rolls in a rail along and sets, once on the ground in motion a mechanism that brings them back to their starting point by means of a lifting device. After the ball has been returned to its starting point, its sequence is repeated in time with the set time interval.

The spillways of the balls around the clock are designed differently. They may be straight, diagonally or helically around the housing.