Grasshopper escapement Grasshopper escapement The grasshopper escapement is a low-friction escapement for pendulum clocks invented by British clockmaker John Harrison around 1722. An escapement, part of every mechanical clock, is the mechanism that gives the clock's pendulum periodic pushes to keep it swinging, and each swing releases the clock's gears to move forward by a fixed amount, thus moving the hands forward at a steady rate. The grasshopper escapement was used in a few regulator clocks built during Harrison's time, and a few others over the years, but has never seen wide use. The term "grasshopper" in this connection, apparently from the
Strain energy release rate a straight path, the mode I stress intensity factor (formula_10) is related to the energy release rate (formula_5) by where formula_13 is the Young's modulus and formula_14 for plane stress (as in a thin tensed elastic sheet) and formula_15 for plane strain (as in a thick elastic slab). Therefore, the energy release rate failure criterion may also be expressed as where formula_17 is the mode I fracture toughness. Strain energy release rate The strain energy release rate (or simply energy release rate) is the energy dissipated during fracture per unit of newly created fracture surface area. This quantity is central