Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society (천문학논총)

The Korean Astronomical Society (한국천문학회)
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MECHANICAL POWER SYSTEM OF TONGCHEON-UI, AN ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK MADE BY HONG, DAE-YONG

홍대용이 제작한 천문시계 통천의의 기계동력시스템

  • Received : 2020.10.07
  • Accepted : 2020.11.30
  • Published : 2020.12.31
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Abstract

Hong, Dae-Yong manufactured the Tongcheon-ui (Pan-celestial Armillary Sphere) with cooperating clock researcher Na, Kyeong-Jeok, and its craftsman An, Cheo-In, in Naju of Jeolla Province in 1760 ~ 1762. Tongcheon-ui is a kind of astronomical clock with an armillary sphere which is rotated by the force generated by a lantern clock's weight. In our study, we examine the lantern clock model of Tongcheon-ui through its description of the articles written by Hong himself. As his description, however, did not explain the detail of the mechanical process of the lantern clock, we investigate the remains of lantern clocks in the possession of Korea University Museum and Seoul National University Museum. Comparing with the clocks of these museums, we designed the lantern clock model of Tongcheon-ui which measures 115 mm (L) × 115 mm (W) × 307 mm (H). This model has used the structure of the striking train imitated from the Korea University Museum artifact and is also regulated by a foliot escapement which is connected to a going train for timekeeping. The orientation of the rotation of the going train and the striking train of our model makes a difference with the remains of both university museums. That is, on the rotation axis of the first gear set of Tongcheon-ui's lantern clock, the going and the striking trains take on a counterclockwise and clockwise direction, respectively. The weight of 6.4 kg makes a force driving these two trains to stick to the pulley on the twine pulling across two spike gears corresponding to the going train and the striking train. This weight below the pulley may travel down about 560 mm per day. We conclude that the mechanical system of Tongcheon-ui's lantern clock is slightly different from the Japanese style.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 연구를 위해 자명종 유물을 실측 조사할 수 있도록 허락해 주신 고려대학교박물관과 서울대학교박물관 학예사께 감사드립니다. 본 연구는 2020년 국립중앙과학관 기본연구과제 "조선후기 기계시계 장치 전시품 개발 연구(연구책임자 윤용현)"의 지원으로 수행되었습니다. 이 연구는 정부(과학기술정보통신부)의 재원으로 한국연구재단의 지원을 받아 수행되었습니다(No. 2019R1F1A1057508).

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