So while counterweight trebuchets require significantly fewer men to operate than traction trebuchets, they require significantly more time to reload. [106][107], Counterweight trebuchets at the siege of Nicaea (1097), c. 1270[108], Counterweight trebuchet at the siege of Nicaea (1097), 1337[108], Mahmud of Ghazni attacks the rebel fortress (Arg) of Zaranj in Sijistan (Nimruz province) in 1003 AD, from the Jami' al-tawarikh, c. 1306-18[1][2], 15th-century depiction of a counterweight trebuchet, 16th-century depiction of a counterweight trebuchet, Possibly a counterweight trebuchet (however text says cannon) from the Chinese encyclopedia Gujin Tushu Jicheng, 1726, Early 18th-century depiction of a Chinese ship armed with three counterweight trebuchets[109], With the introduction of gunpowder, the trebuchet began to lose its place as the siege engine of choice to the cannon. Will be using this as a rough template for the real thing. Change the name (also URL address, possibly the category) of the page. This is why more than one wheel is used. In response, the Seljuks constructed another one requiring 400 men to pull and threw stones weighing 20 kg. Download files and build them with your 3D printer, laser cutter, or CNC. A trebuchet is a battle machine used in the middle ages to throw heavy payloads at enemies. However no other details on the machine are given. And MightyB, an 8 ounce arm isn't that light. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. This was with 5 pounds of CW. "[39] The Byzantines adopted the traction trebuchet possibly as early as 587, the Persians in the early 7th century, and the Arabs in the second half of the 7th century. To begin, enter the parameters of your trebuchet in the input boxes. A sling is attached to one end of the beam to hold the projectile. Step 7: Attach braces. Wikidot.com Terms of Service - what you can, what you should not etc. In 1090, Khalaf ibn Mula'ib threw out a man from the citadel in Salamiya with a machine and in the early 12th century, Muslim siege engines were able to breach crusader fortifications. The mechanical advantage is primarily obtained by having the projectile section of the beam much longer than the opposite section where the force is applied usually four to six times longer.[16]. you can. Wikidot.com Terms of Service - what you can, what you should not etc. Thanks for sharing! [66] However the source for this was written in the 1180s to 1190s and Niketas may have been placing the engine of his own time anachronistically into the past. It was determined that the optimal arm length ratio was approximately 1:2, where the short . [112], According to Paul E. Chevedden, a hybrid trebuchet existed that used both counterweight and human propulsion. The 5 degrees of freedom are the x and y coordinates of the projectile, the height of the counterweight, and the sling and arm angles. If you have a hundred of those machines, then when you are ready to march, each wooden pole can be carried by only four men. [94] Though stone projectiles of substantial size (~66kg) have been found at Acre, located near the site of the siege and likely used by the Mamluks, surviving walls of a 13th century Montmusard tower are no more than one meter thick. To include the sling, a much more constraint-intensive (5DOF) approach is required. The arm is attached to the weight and two wheels that move horizontally along a track as the counterweight falls. The oddity with this trebuchet is that it has no arm ratio as the counterweight sits at the very end of the arm, and the arm itself tends to be shorter. The space between the dowel pairs across the base is 1 1/2" (4 cm). [103][105], Rather than replace traction trebuchets, counterweight trebuchets supplemented them in a different role. A fixed counterweight is an intrinsic part of the swinging arm and its trajectory is circular. The bar that held the weight bent frequently. Create the trigger by tying one 30" (76 cm) piece of string to two 2" (5 cm) pieces of bamboo skewer. [6] The numerous forms of the word that appeared during the 13th century, including trabocco, tribok, tribuclietta, and trubechetum, have made it impossible to identify the source with any certainty. Center and hot glue the ends of the long pieces to the shorter cross pieces. However no illustrations or descriptions of the device exist from the time when they were supposed to have been used. Something does not work as expected? "[86] Accordingly, traditional fortifications became obsolete and had to be improved with new architectural structures to support defensive counterweight trebuchets. By the 1230s the counterweight trebuchet was a common item in siege warfare. on Introduction. This is the most effecient catapult design known today. [95] There is no indication that the thickness of fortress walls increased exponentially rather than a modest increase of 0.5-1m between the 12th and 13th centuries. . You are using an out of date browser. The longer the ratio, the greater the speed that tip of the throwing arm will reach - but also increasing the force required to move it quickly. Only in the late 1210s do references to "trebuchet", describing more powerful engines and different components, more closely align with the features of a counterweight trebuchet. I purchased a set of plans from here, for a whopping $7. interact. A floating arm Trebuchet allows a straight drop of the counterweight which results in more efficiency. [40] In 652, the Arabs used trebuchets at the siege of Dongola in the Sudan. [137] Instead of using the traditional axle fixed to a frame, these devices are mounted on wheels that roll on a track parallel to the ground, with a counterweight that falls directly downward upon release, allowing for greater efficiency by increasing the proportion of energy transferred to the projectile. Favorited for the next rainy sunday.. The Science Project Experiments Catapult Kit. Account & Lists Returns & Orders. In this design it . On my larger FAKA, Golf Ball Beast, it is hinged so it can get knocked a little bit out of the way. Teach your kids something about safety, posture, focus and Mainly, how do I tell the displacement of the end of the arm (I know how to find Kinetic energy). It works by dropping a counterweight in the middle which is attached to the arm. Arizona State University's four campuses are located in the Salt River Valley on ancestral territories of Indigenous peoples, including the Akimel Oodham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) Indian Communities, whose care and keeping of these lands allows us to be here today. The washers and nuts will be assembled onto the bolt in the order shown. The projectiles were several feet in diameter, and when they fell to the earth they made a hole three or four feet deep. It was a common powerful siege engine until the advent of gunpowder.The design of a trebuchet allows it to launch projectiles of greater weights and further distances than that of a traditional catapult. The entire throwing arm runs on wheels set in a horizontal track and shifts to accommodate the counterweight This design appeared in the late 20th century and may be the most efficient design About the Competition [38], According to the Miracles of Saint Demetrius, probably written around 620 by John, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, the Avaro-Slavs attacked Thessaloniki in 586 with traction trebuchets. At the Siege of Manzikert (1054), the Seljuks' initial siege artillery was countered by the defenders' own, which shot stones at the besieging machine. Find out what you can do. 7 months ago The length of the sling increases the mechanical advantage, and also changes the trajectory so that, at the time of release from the sling, the projectile is traveling in the desired speed and angle to give it the range to hit the target. From the First Crusade (10961099) onward, there does not appear to be any discernible difference in the technology of siege engines employed by Muslim and Frankish forces, and by the Third Crusade (11891192), both sides seemed well acquainted with the enemy's siege weapons, which "appear to have been remarkably similar. [8] Paul E. Chevedden suggests that manjaniq maghribi was used to describe hinged counterweight engines in contrast to previous fixed or hanging counterweight trebuchets. Make sure the throwing arm rests between the glide rails before launch as shown in the image above. on Step 3. How to Simulate a Trebuchet Part 3: The Floating-Arm Trebuchet. The axle of these trebuchets is wheeled and is allowed to roll along a rail or track. After the projectile is released, the arm continues to rotate, allowed to smoothly slow down on its own accord and come to rest at the end of the rotation. This is where the projectile will be attached. "[91] In 1220, Al-Mu'azzam Isa laid siege to Atlit with a trabuculus, three petrariae, and four mangonelli but could not penetrate past the outer wall, which was soft but thick. Known as the Huihui trebuchet (, where "huihui" is a loose slang referring to any Muslims), or Xiangyang trebuchet () because they were first encountered in that battle. Set up the trebuchet. from the TV and computer long enough for a good dose of sunshine. "-TheHurl, http://www.spincraftsoftware.com/Files/MyHurl/Disadvantages.html, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. The angle of the bend in the paperclip will determine the timing of the projectiles release. This version won the distance competition against 7 other teams. The design is reportedly quite efficient, similar to a floating arm trebuchet, with a very . the Parthenon. I'm tired of culling search hits for kits and plans being peddled by entities that have no concise explanation for FAT principles and operation. The difference between counterweight and traction trebuchets is what force they use. As their construction is substantially simpler than modern weapons, trebuchets also serve as the object of engineering challenges. [46] Traction trebuchets were also used in India. This is the floating arm trebuchet with a sling. Make sure the glide rails do not intersect the drop channel at all. Click here to toggle editing of individual sections of the page (if possible). With. Check out how this page has evolved in the past. [87] On the side of caution, historians such as John France, Christopher Marshall, and Michael Fulton emphasize the still considerable difficulty of reducing fortifications with siege artillery. [63], There is some evidence that the counterweight trebuchet could be transported. The record-holder in that contest for trebuchets is the Yankee Siege II from New Hampshire, which at the 2013 WCPC Championship tossed a pumpkin 2835.8ft (864.35 metres). [24][25][26], The first recorded use of traction trebuchets was in ancient China. When attempting to breach enemy walls, it is important to use materials that will not shatter on impact; projectiles were sometimes brought from distant quarries to get the desired properties. [102] The counterweight-trebuchet could also be used for cover fire and as an anti-personnel weapon. Watch headings for an "edit" link when available. However it is unclear if this referred to counterweight trebuchets since the author did not specify what engine was used and described the machine as fairly light. When you make a purchase through these links, I may earn an affiliate commission at zero cost to you. At the siege of Marand in 848, traction trebuchets were used, "reportedly killing 100 and wounding 400 on each side during the eight-month siege. [41][42] Like the Chinese, by 653, the Arabs also had ship mounted traction trebuchets. All parts are pre-cut, pre-drilled and can be assembled to a finished model in one evening (plus glue drying time). when [the artillerists] wanted to hurl them to a great range, they added weight [to the counterpoise] and set it further back [on the arm] when they needed only a shorter distance, they set it forward, nearer [the fulcrum]. So, like quite a few others on this forum, I am building a trebuchet for a school physics class. The payload could be thrown a far distance and do considerable damage, either by smashing down walls or striking the enemy while inside their stronghold. Is it an intractable problem? [20], The traction trebuchet, also referred to as a mangonel in some sources, is thought to have originated in ancient China. ), Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program, Sharing Materials: ASU Digital Repository Guide, Trebuchet Mechanics: Modeling and Optimization of the Trebuchet. Glue the split paint stirrer pieces at an angle to support the glide rails and drop channel. As mentioned, the angle of the paperclip is a key variable, as well as the type of projectile, and the length of string that its attached to. :p. I've never seen this "floating arm" style of trebuchet before. The rotation speed of the throwing beam increases smoothly, starting slow but building up quickly. This is a more efficient way to transfer potential energy into kinetic energy at a small scale. 5 years ago Examples of the failure of siege artillery include the lack of evidence that artillery ever threatened the defenses of Kerak Castle between 1170 and 1188. [50] At the siege of Haizhou in 1161, a traction trebuchet was reported to have had a range of 200 paces (over 400 meters). Posts : 6,885. So, one more time, get some toys and go outside and play! . [101] At the Siege of Acre (1291), both traction and counterweight trebuchets were used. Then neither the incendiary arrows, nor bombs [huo pao] from trebuchets, nor even stones of a hundred jun caused any damage to the towers and houses. Simon turned a circle, orienting himself before walking to one side and reaching out to knock on a slope. The upper arm stop is very important. View/set parent page (used for creating breadcrumbs and structured layout). The difference involves the weight and fulcrum. [128] In 1989, Middelaldercentret became the first place in the modern era to have a working trebuchet.[128]. The design of a trebuchet allows it to launch projectiles of greater weights and further distances than that of a traditional catapult. Experienced engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the automotive and aviation industry. The Floating Everything Trebuchet (FET) - a poor man's FAT, without the vertical guides. Floating arm designs are the best, for several reasons: The design allows the counterweight to fall the greatest distance, giving you the most potential energy you can harness. Thingiverse is a universe of things. FAKAs have several parts, most of which are similar to other types of trebuchets. The word trabuchellus appeared alongside manganum and prederia in a document in Vicenza on 6April 1189 (833 years ago)(1189-04-06). Minimum age: 14Availability: out of stock. "[48] During the siege of Baghdad in 865, defensive artillery were responsible for repelling an attack on the city gate while traction trebuchets on boats claimed a hundred of the defenders' lives. [8][61] Later during the 13th century, Muslims used manjaniq maghribi (Western trebuchet) and manjaniq ifranji (Frankish trebuchet) to refer to counterweight trebuchets. Theres no best angleit depends on what kind of trajectory you want to achieve. [78] Despite the lack of clearly definable terms in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, it is likely that both Muslims and Europeans already had working knowledge of the counterweight trebuchet beforehand. [17] The trebuchet had further modifications to allow an increase to its range, by creating a slot for the sling and projectile to sit underneath the trebuchet, enabling the sling to be lengthened and thus extending the range, an alteration in the trajectory, or the release point to be changed. They were commonly called stone-throwing machines, thunder carriages, and stone carriages in the following centuries. This line of thought suggests that rams were abandoned due to the effectiveness of the counterweight trebuchet, which was capable of reducing "any fortress to rubble. [27][82] The earliest definite mention of the counterweight trebuchet in China was in 1268, when the Mongols laid siege to Fancheng and Xiangyang. The floating arm trebuchet uses a counterweight the vertically falls down a shaft created by two pieces of wood. A paperclip with greater curve will give a delayed release and a straighter trajectory. Use the 5" (12.5 cm) pieces of paint stirrer and the four 6" (15 cm) square dowel pieces to form the glide rails. It had the highest efficiency in the class, launching a tennis ball around 15 feet with only 5 joules of energy. Michael the Syrian noted that at the siege of Balis in 823 it was the defenders that suffered from bombardment rather than the fortifications. I've scoured the Internet for a mathematical model (or at least an attempt at one) for the behavior of a floating-arm trebuchet and have had zero luck. You can look at the User Projects page to see how VirtualTrebuchet's predictions have compared to some real trebuchets that VirtualTrebuchet users have made. "[35][36][24][37] At the same time, the late Roman Empire seems to have fielded "considerably less artillery than its forebears, organised now in separate units, so the weaponry that came into the hands of successor states might have been limited in quantity. I never knew you could make a trebuchet like that. The counterweight hits the glide rails while falling down. Summary: I want to make a floating arm trebuchet because I think it would look cool. Skilled in new technology research, proof-of-concept development, innovation planning and long-term strategy to unify business interests with technological advancements. [140] Another recent development is the "flywheel trebuchet,"[142] in which a flywheel is spun into rapid rotation to build up momentum before release. (July 1995). [7] In Arabic the counterweight trebuchet was called manjaniq maghribi or majaniq ifranji. Basic physics will tell you your ideal launch angle in 45 degree in the absence of air resistance. The form and density of the projectile have a big impact on how well the trebuchet performs. 2. A large trebuchet was tested in late 2017 in Belfast as part of the set for the television series Game of Thrones.[130]. Floating Arm In this design the counterweight is constrained by a track to fall dead vertical, and the entire throwing arm, running on wheels set in a horizontal track, shifts to accomodate the counterweight. I know a 13 year-old who will have some fun with this one. According to the Song of the Albigensian Crusade, the defenders "ran to the ropes and wound the trebuchets", and to shoot the machine, they "then released their ropes. How's that for a reason? These being fixed, hanging, and hinged counterweights. [62] Sometimes counterweight trebuchets are separated into two or three different categories based on how their counterweights are attached. It rang hollow. The bombardment lasted for hours, but the operators were inaccurate and most of the shots missed their target. This is bad because it adds stress to the frame when it re-contacts the ground, and could (And I think it did) derail the axle.1. The type described by al-Tarsusi was a hanging counterweight. Find out what you can do. Create the drop channel: Hot glue four square dowels upright at the center of the base. The tops of these pieces have been trimmed for a cleaner look. ASU Library acknowledges the sovereignty of these nations and seeks to foster an environment of success and possibility for Native American students and patrons. The Norwegian text of 1240, Speculum regale, explicitly states this division of functions. Prior to 1268, the counterweight trebuchet may have been used in 1232 by the Jurchen Jin commander Qiang Shen. While the trebuchet is bieng launched, time the throw from when the projectile leaves the sling to when it hits the ground. Giving a total length of 2.5 meters. Youll need all the hex nuts and all but 10 of the washers. Step 8: Mount wheels. [6] Only in the late 1210s do variations of "trebuchet" in sources, described as increasingly powerful machines or utilizing different components, identify more closely with the counterweight trebuchet. These ranges of the full scale models were surprisingly accurate with what was predicted. They were probably used by the Mohists as early as 4th century BC; descriptions can be found in the Mojing (compiled in the 4th century BC). "-TheHurl, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. Move the arm to position 1. Runner Up in the Make it Move Contest 2016. The boogies, or trucks, which ride the tracks, need to prevent the axle from twisting relative to the frame, If one side gets ahead of the other, it will likely jam, but the counterweight or the arm might also strike the frame. [138] A more radical design; Jonathan, Orion, and Emmerson Stapleton's "walking arm",[139] described as "a stick falling over with a huge counterweight on top of the stick"[140] debuted in 2016[141] and in 2018 won both the Grand Champion Best Design and Middleweight Open Division of the 10th annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin Festival. The trebuchet is a type of catapult that was popular for use as a siege engine before gunpowder became a thing. . The illustration above gives a diagram of a "floating-arm" trebuchet. Give the trigger a swift tug to release the pins! When the trebuchet is operated, the force causes rotational acceleration of the beam around the axle (the fulcrum of the lever). At the Siege of Toulouse (12171218), trabuquets were mentioned to have been deployed,[73] but the siege engine depicted at the tomb of Simon de Montfort, who was killed by artillery at the siege, is a traction trebuchet. On the side of the counterweight engine as a medieval military revolution, historians such as Sydney Toy, Paul Chevedden, and Hugh Kennedy consider its power to have caused significant changes in medieval warfare. During an assault on Muntcada by King James I a trebuchet was used to target a tower, destroying the structure and causing the consequential deaths of civilians and livestock. Discard warped or defective pieces before building. Trebuchet instructables the floating arm trebuchet lancemakes the oating arm trebuchet is modern take on an ancient war machine. [131][132] In the episode "Carnage A Trois" in series 4 of The Grand Tour the presenters uses a trebucet to allegedly sling a Citron C3 Pluriel from the White Cliffs of Dover across the English Channel. Cart "[29] Traction trebuchets went into decline during the Han dynasty due to long periods of peace but became a common siege weapon again during the Three Kingdoms period. I'm a writer, maker, and educator who's on a mission to better the world through hands-on engineeri, seven 12" (30.5 cm) square dowels, 1/2" (1.3 cm) wide, Strap-On Cleats for Ice and Snow Traction, Hollow Wood Surfboard - Plywood and Cedar, Cut two 12" (30.5 cm) paint stirrer into four 6" (15 cm) pieces, Split two of the 6" (15 cm) pieces down the middle, Cut the bottom of the split pieces at approximately a 45 angle, Cut 2 paint stirrers into four 5" (12.5 cm) pieces, leaving two 2" (5 cm) pieces. [88] Marshall maintains that "the methods of attack and defence remained largely the same through the thirteenth century as they had been during the twelfth. The walking arm trebuchet is a good example, which uses an unconventional design to great effect. Make the drop channel gap slightly wider. 3. Peter Purton suggests that this was simply because the machines became larger. The goal is to use the weight of the counterweight (rather than friction) to hold the pins in place. Small floating arm trebuchet plans. The entire argument for the existence of hybrid trebuchets rests on accounts of increasingly more effective siege weapons. Some of these more powerful engines may have just been traction trebuchets, as one was described being pulled by ten thousand. It's good for you. I just subscribed because I like that you have so many mechanical contraption based Instructables. Floating Arm Trebuchet Case Studies http://www.rlt.com/10121. Guillotine-Style Catapult Designed and made in the USA for better quality, better performance! A FAKA is a very high end trebuchet form the efficiency perspective. Several arm derailments have been caused by this. The Floating arm Trebuchet: The fixed Counterweight Trebuchet: A fixed counterweight with a fixed frame design. Model Notify administrators if there is objectionable content in this page. It has derailed several other times, but so far no major damage has occurred. Chevedden, Paul E.; et al. David Nicolle argues that these events could have only been possible with the use of counterweight trebuchets. Click here to edit contents of this page. Cut off any excess dowel to prevent it from getting caught on the drop channel beams. Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under. yourself happy. If the washers start falling off, rub a little bit of hot glue on the outside of the axle and the washer to keep them in place. The floating arm trebuchet uses rails to constrain the counterweight vertically and to allow the arm pivot to move horizontally. Next, press the "Simulate" button located under the inputs. Ropes of rice straw four inches thick and thirty-four feet long were joined together twenty at a time, draped on to the buildings from top to bottom, and covered with [wet] clay. This will be the roller that travels over the glide rails. I would like to work on the floating arm trebuchet because the design of it is more interesting and Below is. Launch the trebuchet. At the end of the arm there is a sling which holds the stone or stones, of weight and number depending on the stoutness of the arm. Proven technical team lead and project manager. It was also mentioned in the Taktika of general Nikephoros Ouranos (c. 1000), and listed in De obsidione toleranda (author anonymous) as a form of artillery. In reality it will be in the low 30's somewhere. If you want to discuss contents of this page - this is the easiest way to do it. The main reason for doing this is to permit the counterweight to move . 6 years ago. The later, and often larger and more powerful, counterweight trebuchet, also known as the counterpoise trebuchet, uses a counterweight to swing the arm. Writing in 1280, Giles of Rome claimed that hinged counterweight trebuchets had a greater range than fixed counterweight types. Give it a quick test by pulling the arm back and letting it go. "The Trebuchet". It also has a better efficiency than the counterweight trebuchet. 2. Counterweight trebuchet used in a siege from the Jami' al-tawarikh, c. 1306-18. View wiki source for this page without editing. | Learn more about Joshua Kukulsky's work experience, education, connections . [36], The catapult, the account of which has been translated from the Greek several times, was quadrangular, with a wide base but narrowing towards the top, using large iron rollers to which were fixed timber beams "similar to the beams of big houses", having at the back a sling, and at the front thick cables, enabling the arm to be raised and lowered, and which threw "enormous blocks into the air with a terrifying noise".