The anchor escapement consists of two parts: the "escape wheel", which is a vertical wheel with pointed teeth on it rather like saw teeth, and the "anchor", shaped vaguely like a ship's anchor, which swings back and forth on a pivot just above the escape wheel. On the two arms of the anchor are curved faces which the teeth of the escape wheel push against, called "pallets". The central shaft of the anchor is attached to a fork pushed by the pendulum, so the anchor swings back and forth, with the pallets alternately catching and releasing an escape wheel tooth on each side.