Regulator clock made by Vulliamy for King George III

Made:
1780 in London
maker:
Benjamin Vulliamy
A regulator clock is a highly accurate timepiece A regulator clock is a highly accurate timepiece A regulator clock is a highly accurate timepiece A regulator clock is a highly accurate timepiece

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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A regulator clock is a highly accurate timepiece
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

A regulator clock is a highly accurate timepiece
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

A regulator clock is a highly accurate timepiece
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

A regulator clock is a highly accurate timepiece
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Regulator clock made by Benjamin Vulliamy for King George III, London, 1780. Used at the King's Observatory at Kew. In polished mahogany case, with a side plate and glass top for case

A regulator clock is a highly accurate timepiece, usually used for making precise measurements in conjunction with astronomical observation. This is the movement from a clock made by Benjamin Vulliamy (1747-1811) in 1780 for King George III and used as the principal timekeeper at the King's Observatory at Kew. Rollers act as the bearings for the wheelwork, reducing the friction and the need for lubrication. For similar reasons the clock was also fitted with the grasshopper escapement invented by the pioneer of the chronometer, John Harrison (1693-1776). Harrison`s gridiron pendulum was also incorporated to ensure that the clock kept good time by compensating for changes of temperature.

Details

Category:
Time Measurement
Object Number:
1884-79
Materials:
escapement pallets: hardwood, case: mahogany and glass
type:
regulator clocks, weight-driven pendulum clocks and grasshopper escapements
credit:
Patent Office Museum