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
Coaxial escapement beat movements, he has also noted that they aggravate the problem of sliding friction in the escapement (at the escape teeth and pallets). Higher beat movements produce increased speed and pressure at these critical surfaces." Coaxial escapement The coaxial escapement is a type of modern watch escapement mechanism invented by English watchmaker George Daniels. Invented around 1974 and patented in 1980 by English watchmaker George Daniels, the coaxial escapement is a modification of the lever escapement with some features of the detent escapement. Considered by some to be one of the most significant horological advancements since the invention of the