Talk:Clockwork

This article is within the scope of WikiProject Technology, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of technology on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.TechnologyWikipedia:WikiProject TechnologyTemplate:WikiProject TechnologyTechnology articles

Spoken Wikipedia

This article is within the scope of WikiProject Spoken Wikipedia, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of articles that are spoken on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.Spoken WikipediaWikipedia:WikiProject Spoken WikipediaTemplate:WikiProject Spoken WikipediaSpoken Wikipedia articles

Older comments[edit]

Um, isn't clockwork (also) the mechanical part of a clock/watch? I don't think it should redirect to Gear directly? or? --Kricke

When was clockwork first widely used? Some historical background information would be extremely useful here. 86.132.136.164 11:56, 25 May 2005 (UTC)[reply]

It's hard to know about "widely used", but read Antikythera mechanism. This is the oldest known clockwork mechanism, but it's not known if this was a one-off piece of a very advanced art for its day, or just one among many that happened to survive.Graham 01:14, 26 May 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Fiction accounts[edit]

Why are there no accounts to clockwork being used in fiction? As it was in Rise of Legends, Warcraft, and World of Warcraft. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by TheGamerDude (talk • contribs) 14:59, 9 January 2007 (UTC).[reply]

In those games clockwork is only a minor side-note such roles are inconsequential. If however there were a game or movie centered around clockwork that would be note worthy.

Craobh sidhe (talk) 01:45, 28 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

There is a book that has some clockwork in it? (Keys to the Kingdom, by Garth Nix)Paradox K. 03:15, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

There is a Doctor Who story about clockwork robots & Madame de Pompadourand I think a Terry Pratchett book, Strata, featurinng a clockwork planet--Streona (talk) 09:10, 29 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Clocks[edit]

I would like to see some information, pictures, explanation of real clockwork, like in clocks. That's what I was hoping to find in this page, but it's not really here. Maybe a rundown of common clock mechansisms, development of clockwork, clever solutions to clock-based problems. That sort of thing. GBMorris 01:35, 6 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

history?[edit]

how about a bit about history and evolution of clockwork? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.80.214.27 (talk) 15:25, 5 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

"A clockwork computer was described on BBC World on 30 September 2005."[edit]

What does the following sentence of the article refer to?

"A clockwork computer was described on BBC World on 30 September 2005."

Is it about the OLPC announced on the 29th of September, 2005?
Quote from here:

"The laptop will be tough and foldable in different ways, with a hand crank for when there is no power supply."

I'll add it in with a question mark until it gets sorted out. bkil (talk) 20:54, 9 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I've removed this reference for now. I think the hand crank is more of a dynamo that charges the battery; the energy would be stored chemically rather than physically. Regardless, the mention of BBC and the date is irrelevant to the article; if the material is added back it should directly discuss the computer's hand crank. -SCEhard T 04:14, 6 March 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Definition inaccurate[edit]

The two cited dictionary sources defining 'clockwork' at the top of the article do not agree with the second sentence, that a clockwork is a device powered by the energy of a wound spring. Neither definitions mention springs, and both specifically define it as the inner workings of, rather than the device itself.

Indeed, use of this definition would exclude weight-driven pendulum clocks such as Grandfather clocks -- and a definition of clockwork that excludes gear-based clocks is completely off base.

Can someone please come up with a well-written definition that actually matches the citations given? Kthxbye Dodger (talk) 04:22, 17 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The aspect of the definition citing "spring power" is clearly overly narrow, as the earliest clockwork designs were (as noted above) weight powered. Furthermore, it can't even be narrowed down to having a stored power source of *any* kind, really, as music boxes are often driven only by a hand operated crank driving the mechanism directly. The definition needs to be clarified to indicate that it is solely the existence of a complex gear drive system that makes it "clockwork". --Jbange (talk) 17:24, 31 July 2009 (UTC)[reply]

De Son[edit]

A Monsieur de Son attempted to build a semi-submersible ram in 1653 for the Dutch to sink the "English Fleet." This was planned to be powered by clockwork. De Son claimed that it would sail at 15 miles per hour and could travel 5000 miles in 28 days and a sink a hundred ships. It was to run for eight hours and had to be wound by 4 men. Hoever it seems that no metal could be found which was strong & flexible enough to make the spring. How feasible would such a vessel be? Obviously De Son was being grandiose, but with more limited specs could suchb a weapon make an attack in calm waters, perhaps towed in by a frigate? It looked very much klike the Confederate ram "Merrimac".--Streona (talk) 09:37, 29 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

A Clockwork[edit]

Does anyone have a reference for the first sentence and use of "a clockwork" as the correct usage? DJ Clayworth (talk) 00:07, 11 September 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Difference Engine[edit]

A difference engine is not a computer. The picture description should be changed. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 204.155.124.71 (talk) 20:04, 29 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]

We 2603:7000:B802:95CF:6020:5FFD:96B:28BB (talk) 05:34, 20 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]

We cannot go outside during summer school 2603:7000:B802:95CF:6020:5FFD:96B:28BB (talk) 05:34, 20 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]