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The Wheel Lock

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Funktionsweise eines Radschlosses mit weissem Abspann
Funktionsweise eines Radschlosses mit weissem Abspann

The Wheel Lock

The wheel lock was developed shortly after 1500, probably in southern Germany (Nuremberg or Augsburg) or in northern Italy. In the wheel lock, sparks are created by the friction of a pyrite (FeS2 / "fool's gold") on the grooved face of a rotating wheel, which ignites the powder in the pan and releases the shot in the barrel chamber.

Around 1500, Leonardo da Vinci produced drawings (Codex Atlanticus) showing a similar wheel lock mechanism.

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