The Millennium Time Project: Alternative Time Measuring Mechanisms by Miltiadis A. Boboulos - HTML preview

PLEASE NOTE: This is an HTML preview only and some elements such as links or page numbers may be incorrect.
Download the book in PDF, ePub, Kindle for a complete version.

1.2. Variety of common devices and mechanisms for measuring time

Available devices are mainly based on mechanical mechanisms driven and regulated by mechanical means. These are clocks and devices using gears, spring driving and a mechanical movement regulator. In the recent decades the progress in electronics and studies of crystal properties resulted in the adoption of a range of electrical and electronic clocks based on the quartz generator [2]. This is a movement regulator based on the exact vibration frequency of the quartz crystal when electric current of specific parameters is run through it. This regulator – frequency generator connected to a suitable electronic integrated circuit, which provides vibrations at 1/sec Hz is driving a mechanical mechanism with hands indicating time or when the clock is completely electronic – provides digital display [2]. Most electronic clocks combine the electrical current drive with common mechanisms of completely mechanical clocks. These are the devices measuring time in the power consumption indicators, electrical panels and cars where the impulse quartz generator is also used. There are devices and equipment indicating time in a purely electronic way or involving other mechanical mechanisms as relays, and time switches [2].