One of the very clever clerics to be found with a wide range of interests. He was born in 1636 and took the name of Barlow from his godfather, Ambrose Barlow. He was the inventor of rack-striking-work for clocks, a mechanism first used about 1676.
He invented a repeat system for watches and applied for a patent, but was refused by James II, who tried out watches made by Barlow and Quare and gives his preference to Quare. He also invented a precursor of the cylinder escapement, which he patented in conjunction with Houghton and Tompion in 1695.
Image copyright Wikipedia
