Geneva mechanism

The Geneva mechanism is a device used to convert continuous rotational motion into intermittent, stepping motion. It consists of a wheel with slots (the drive wheel) and a wheel with a pin or pinwheel (the driven wheel). As the drive wheel rotates, its pin enters a slot in the driven wheel, turning it by a fixed amount before disengaging. The driven wheel then remains stationary until the pin engages again, causing it to advance in steps. This mechanism ensures precise, incremental movement, commonly used in watches, film projectors, and machinery requiring controlled, timed rotations.