Geneva drive - Wikipedia
The Geneva drive or Maltese cross is a gear mechanism that translates a continuous rotation movement into intermittent rotary motion.
The rotating drive wheel is usually equipped with a pin that reaches into a slot located in the other wheel (driven wheel) that advances it by one step at a time. The drive wheel also has an elevated circular blocking disc that "locks" the rotating driven wheel in position between steps.
The name, Geneva drive, is derived from the devices earliest application in mechanical watches, which were popularized in Geneva, being the classical origin of watchmaking industry[citation needed ]. The mechanism is frequently used in mechanical watches, since it can be made small and is able to withstand substantial mechanical stress.
The Geneva drive is also called a "Maltese cross mechanism" due to the visual resemblance when the rotating wheel has four spokes.
