Scale model of Su Song's water-balance escapement
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1965
This 1:6 scale model represents the water-balance escapement mechanism from the astronomical clock tower created by Su Song in 1088. Fabricated by the Science Museum Workshops in 1965, the object demonstrates the function of the water-powered escapement, a component designed to regulate energy release at regular intervals.
The physical assembly comprises a wooden frame supporting a rotatable wheel integrated with a series of metal buckets, reflecting the historical design principles identified in research regarding 11th-century Chinese clockwork. The model serves as an educational representation of the original clock-tower escapement mechanism, illustrating the historical use of a waterwheel to control temporal output. It stands 750 mm by 730 mm by 225 mm and utilizes materials such as wood and metal to recreate the functional geometry of the ancient device within a museum context.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Historical model
- Maker
- Science Museum
- Scale
- 1:6
- Function
- Regulate energy release
- Materials
- Wood and metal
- Dimensions
- 750 mm x 730 mm x 225 mm
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Maker / attribution
- Science Museum
- Date of Construction
- 1965
Design
- Visible features
- • Wooden frame assembly with central spoked wheel • Peripheral copper buckets mounted on the wheel rim • Metallic pendulum or bob suspended by a small chain • Visible threaded adjustment screws on the metallic support structure
- Provenance and Documentation
- The object is held within the collection of the Science Museum, London, and is registered under the accession number 1965-8. It was manufactured by the museum's own workshops as a record of the historical study of the Su Song clock. The provenance is tied to the Science Museum's internal documentation project involving historical horological devices. The record explicitly links the creation of this object to the 1965 efforts to illustrate the mechanics described in historical scholarly analysis.
- Historical Context and Research
- This model was produced in 1965 by the Science Museum following scholarly re-examination of ancient Chinese texts. These documents detailed the astronomical clock tower created by Su Song (1020–1101) in 1088, which utilized water power to operate its internal mechanisms. The development of the model followed the identification of this technology in the original manuscripts. It serves to document the operational theory of early Chinese mechanical clockwork as understood by researchers during the mid-20th century, challenging historical narratives regarding the singular origins of mechanical timekeeping.
- Mechanical Design and Construction
- The object is a functional scale representation of a water-balance escapement, constructed at a 1:6 ratio. The frame is primarily wood, containing a central rotating wheel. This wheel incorporates a series of copper buckets fixed to the outer rim, designed to capture water to facilitate the regulated rotation required for timekeeping. Associated metal hardware, including threaded rods and adjustment nuts, serves to mount and balance the rotating components. A secondary suspension mechanism, visible in the detailed view, consists of a small chain supporting a metallic bob, intended to mimic the movement regulation of the original 11th-century water-clock tower.
Identification
- Accession Number
- 1965-8
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Exact historical accuracy of the internal mechanism remains subject to the limitations of 1960s interpretation of the ancient text
- Research required: Object is a 1965 reconstruction rather than an original device from 1088