Skip to main content

Su Song’s Escapement Regulator

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: History Of Mechanism And Machine Science ((HMMS,volume 3))

This chapter systematically generates all feasible designs of Su Song’s escapement regulator that meet the scientific and technological standards of the subject’s time period [1-4]. Historical records of Su Song’s clock tower and the escapement regulator are addressed first. Then, the topological structure of an available design is analyzed, and the design constraints are concluded. The process of reconstruction design of Su Song’s escapement regulators is also illustrated. Finally, feasible escapement regulators of Su Song’s clock tower and modern mechanical clocks are compared.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Lin, T.Y., A systematic reconstruction design of ancient Chinese escapement regulators (in Chinese), Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, December 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Yan, H.S. and Lin, T.Y., “Comparison between the escapement regulators of Su Song’s clock-tower and modern mechanical clocks,” Proceedings of HMM2000 - the International Symposium on History of Machines and Mechanisms, Cassino, Italy, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp. 141-148, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Yan, H.S. and Lin, T.Y., “A systematic approach to reconstruction of ancient Chinese escapement regulators,” Proceedings of ASME 2002 Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (DETC’02), Montreal, Canada, September 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Yan, H.S. and Lin, T.Y., “A study on ancient Chinese time laws and the timetelling system of Su Song’s clock-tower,” Mechanism and Machine Theory, Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 15-33, 2002.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Xin Yi Xiang Fa Yao (in Chinese) by Su Song (Northern Song Dynasty), Tai-wan Commercial Press, Taipei, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Wang, Z.D., Papers in Technical Archaeology (in Chinese), Cultural Relics Publishing House , Beijing , pp. 238-277, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Guan, C.X., Yang, R.G., Su, K.F., Study on Su Song and Xin Yi Xiang Fa Yao (in Chinese), Jilin Literature and History Publishing Co., Zhangchun, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Li, Z.C., History of Ancient Chinese Astronomical Clocks (in Chinese), China Science and Technology University Press, Hefei, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hu, W.J., Xin Yi Xiang Fa Yao: A Modern Interpretation (in Chinese), Liaoning Educational Publishing House, Shenyang, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Needham, J., Wang, L., Price, D.J., Heavenly Clockwork, Cambridge University Press, London, 1960.

    Google Scholar 

  11. History of the Song Dynasty (New revision) (in Chinese) by Tuo Tuo (Yuan Dynasty), Ding Wen Publishing House, Taipei, Vol. 340, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Dai, N.Z., History of Mechanics in China (in Chinese), Hebei Educational Publishing House, Shi Jia Zhuang, pp. 246-270, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Needham, J., Wang, L., and Price, D.J., “Chinese Astronomical Clockworks,” Nature, Vol. 177, p. 600, 1956.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Shi, R.G., “Identification of Astronomical Clock and Escapement (in Chinese),” Collected Essays on History of Time-keeping Instruments, Vol. 1, First Academic Workshop on Chinese Time-keeping Instruments, Suzhou, pp. 68-75, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  15. History of the Song Dynasty (New revision) (in Chinese) by Tuo Tuo (Yuan Dynasty), Ding Wen Publishing House, Taipei, Vol. 76, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Needham, J., Science and Civilization in China (Chinese trans.), Vol. 1, Science Press, Beijing, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Zhang C.Z., (trans.), The Manufacturing of Electronic Digital Clocks and Watches (in Chinese), Xu’s Foundation Publishing House, Taipei, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Britten, F.J., Old Clocks and Watches and Their Makers, E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd., London, 1922.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Li, Z.C., (editor-in-chief), History of Time-keeping Instruments (in Chinese), Vol. 3, Third Academic Workshop on Chinese Time-keeping Instruments, Suzhou, pp. 8-11, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  20. W. Wayt Gibbs (translated by Cai, Y.Z.), Ultimate Clocks (in Chinese), Scientific American, Taipei, Vol. 9, pp. 102-112, November 2002.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Springer

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

(2007). Su Song’s Escapement Regulator. In: Reconstruction Designs of Lost Ancient Chinese Machinery. History Of Mechanism And Machine Science, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6460-9_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6460-9_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-6459-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-6460-9

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics