Etymology

Geneva mechanism

Today it means: A mechanism that translates a continuous rotation into an intermittent rotary motion, using an intermittent gear where the drive wheel has a pin that reaches into a slot of the driven wheel and thereby advances it by one step, and having a raised circular blocking disc that locks the driven wheel in position between steps. Full definition →

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The story

So called from Geneva in Switzerland, an important center of watchmaking.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.