Clock History Part 3

           As time went on the escapement became more complex. It began to use additional parts such as balance wheels or pendulums. A balance wheel is a tiny wheel with a hair spring that moves back and forth to keep the escapement in rhythm. a balance wheel uses the same principle as a pendulum swinging back and forth. Both of these objects replaced water, forming the first mechanical clocks. The balance wheel came before the pendulum .The benefit of a pendulum was that it was a  harmonic oscillator; the time being kept by the movement of the pendulum back and forth.
          Mechanical spring clocks, meaning the use of a main spring was used as a form of power came around the 15th century. A main spring is a strip of  metal that stores energy for the clock to run. when compressed, it forms a tightly wound spiral. the reason this stores energy is simple, the mainspring acting like a bucket of water, the water being energy for the clock, and the mainspring being the bucket to hold the water.
        It was also around this time that clock making began to flourish. horology grew more widespread around the world as trade and a need to keep time grew more and more prevalent.