Late Edo Period
Lantern Clock with Double Foliot Balance
This weight-driven clock automatically switches over two foliot balances at the transition between daytime and nighttime at sunrise and sunset. With conventional clock with a single-foliot balance, the weight of the balance must be repositioned twice a day at sunrise and sunset. With the innovative switching mechanism of this new clock with a double foliot, the weight is repositioned only 24 times a year (the 24 solar terms, each lasting for about half a month). The clock is also unique for its striking and alarm functions.
| Name | Lantern Clock with Double Foliot Balance |
|---|---|
| Time/Period | Late Edo Period |
| Country | Japan |
| Additional information | The outstanding techniques and skills newly available in the Edo Period are said to have been a major factor behind Japan’s industrial development during the Meiji Restoration and later. |
