SC - measurements

[R. Del Boccio]

<< I have also considered the construction of a period clockwork weight
driven spit turner. >> (Daniel Phelps)

In one of Scappi's (1570) tavole there is something like a clockwork
construction for a spit turner. See the image at:

http://staff-www.uni-marburg.de/~gloning/scap19b.jpg

The text to the image: "Molinello con tre spedi che si uolta dasse per
forza de ruotte con il tempo afoggia di orologio come nella presente
figura si dimostra". The same picture is later to be found in the
'Trinciante' of Cervio. And there seems also to be mention of such a
machine in Rabelais' 'Gargantua'.

If you are looking for a early handbook of clockwork engineering, try:

J.H. Leopold: The Almanus Manuscript (Staats- und Stadtbibliothek
Augsburg, Codex in 2° No. 209, Rome circa 1475-circa 1485). London 1971.

A beautiful book including a facsimile of the manuscript with its
drawings, the Latin text, an English translation, an English
introduction and an English commentary/technical interpretation of the
text. There are weight-driven clocks and spring-driven clocks ...

Thomas