Sigmund Riefler (9 August 1847 – 21 October 1912) was a German physicist, inventor and precision clockmaker.

Life

Sigmund Riefler was born on 9 August 1847 to Magdalena and Clemens Riefler. He studied mathematics,

geodesy Geodesy ( ) is the Earth science of accurately measuring and understanding Earth's figure (geometric shape and size), orientation in space, and gravity. The field also incorporates studies of how these properties change over time and equivale ...

and mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Munich, and then physics and astronomy at the University of Munich. From 1870 he worked as an engineer in the Royal Prussian Land Survey, surveying land in Schleswig. In 1876 after the death of his father, he took over the firm of Clemens Riefler with his two brothers, Adolf and Theodor. Sigmund worked mainly on new developments in the area of

drawing Drawing is a form of visual art in which an artist uses instruments to mark paper or other two-dimensional surface. Drawing instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, various kinds of paints, inked brushes, colored pencils, crayons, ...

instruments and precision clocks, while his brothers handled the technical, sales and management of the company. In 1878 he settled in Munich, to be in contact with the local scientific community. He invented the

Riefler escapement The Riefler escapement is a mechanical escapement for precision pendulum clocks invented and patented by German instrument maker Sigmund Riefler in 1889. It was used in the astronomical regulator clocks made by his German firm Clemens Riefler f ...

which was patented in 1889.''Precision Pendulum Clocks: The Quest for Accurate Timekeeping''; by Derek Roberts; 2003; He died in Munich on 21 October 1912 at the age of 65. Riefler Uhr 01

In popular culture

Monroe mentions Sigmund Riefler in the "One Night Stand" episode in Season 3 of '' Grimm''.

Awards

* 1894 John Scott Medal of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, USA p.602 * 1897 Honorary Doctorate (Dr. phil. hc) of the Philosophischen Fakultät der Universität München * 1899 Sigmund and both brothers received the honorary citizenship of the market town Nesselwang (new site since 1879 the company) * 1900 Golden Delbrück-Denkmünze of the Verein zur Förderung des Gewerbefleißes in Prussia * 1905 Kommerzienrat Title

Patents

* 1889 DRP Nr. 50739 Doppelradhemmung für Chronometer mit vollkommen freier Unruhe und für Pendeluhren mit freiem Pendel. * 1891 DRP Nr. 60059 Quecksilber-Kompensationspendel. * 1893 US Patent 508530 Mercurial Compensation-Pendulum * 1893 US Patent 508760 Pendulum-Escapement * 1897 DRP Nr. 100870 Pendel mit Nickelstahlstange und mehreren zusammenwirkenden Compensationsröhren. * 1903 DRP Nr. 151710 Elektrische Aufziehvorrichtung für Uhren mit einem treibenden Gewichtshebel und einem Elektromagneten zum Heben desselben. * 1913 DRP Nr. 272119 Schwerkrafthemmung mit zwei Antriebshebeln.

References

External links

Special catalogue of the collective exhibition of scientific instruments and appliances exhibited by the Deutsche gesellschaft für mechanik und optik, Berlin
* Uhrenkabinett der Staatlichen Museen Kassel
precision clock in pressure-tight tank
* Ladd Observatory

History of company from official website {{DEFAULTSORT:Riefler, Sigmund 19th-century German inventors German clockmakers 1847 births 1912 deaths Technical University of Munich alumni Burials at the Alter Nordfriedhof (Munich)