Mechanism with balance beam, wheel and timing notes
Pen device with hanging pans, a spoked wheel and the note 'of time'
In pen Leonardo draws a mechanism combining a balance beam that carries small hanging pans at the top, a large spoked wheel below it, and a diagonal lever running down to a ring at the lower right. Mirror-written figures on the sheet read 32 8 32 and 1 2 4, together with the phrase 'del tempo' (of time), suggesting the device concerns timed or regulated motion. The numbers may record tooth-counts or proportional intervals.
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Balance beam, spoked wheel and lever
At the top a balance beam carries small hanging pans; beneath it a large spoked wheel turns on a central hub, and a diagonal lever runs down to a ring at the lower right. The written figures 32 8 32 and 1 2 4 accompany the drawing.
Weighted balance and the note 'of time'
The suspended pans on the upper beam and the phrase 'del tempo' (of time) tie the device to the balancing of weights and the regulation of motion over time. The paired figures may express the ratios that govern that action.
