Glossary/Recoil Escapement
Recoil Escapement
The recoil escapement is a form of clock control, probably invented by Robert Hooke or William Clement of London around 1671. It supplanted the Verge Escapement and made very accurate clocks possible. Used on most pendulum clocks today. An anchor-shaped piece of steel is swung to and fro by the pendulum to release a tooth of the escape wheel at each swing, or beat. At the same time, the escape wheel impulses the pendulum through the action of the escapement to keep it swinging. In clocks, this escapement is also sometimes referred to as the anchor escapement.