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History of Time Telling Machines

Decent Essays

The Tick in the Clock New technology often begins with the clear intention of solving an ongoing problem or satisfying a societal need. Many times, this new piece of technology is simple, such as the toothpick. Other times, a new technology can be a thing of great complexity, such as a computer hard drive or Facebook. One piece of technology in particular has changed the way human society has functioned over the past few centuries. Everyone strives to keep track of time, as more and more technologies arise and give way to an increased demand for a structured day. In order to do this, one looks up at a clock.
The clock, to put it simply, is a device used to tell the hours, minutes, and seconds of a day. According to Artemidorus of Daldis, a second century A.D. writer, “A clock signifies occupations and undertakings, movements and the start of transactions. For men keep their eyes on the time in all that they do,” (Dohrn-van Rossum 17). Not only does a clock keep track of time, it signifies the need for the human race to organize and control their surroundings, as it has been from the first encounter between technology and the human race.
The technology of a clock is simple yet varied. The clock’s shell is usually made out of brass, copper, tin or zinc. After the shell is molded the components of the clock are assembled; significant working parts including the face, arms, power source, gear train, escapement, wheels, mainspring, pendulum and quartz are all

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