[25][26] According to the Mojing, the traction trebuchet was 17 feet high with four feet buried below ground, the fulcrum attached was constructed from the wheels of a cart, the throwing arm was 30 to 35 feet long with three quarters above the pivot and a quarter below to which the ropes are attached, and the sling two feet and eight inches long. Torrent: Great Courses - Science (1.4 TB) Has total of 2749 files and has 0 Seeders and 0 Peers. From this there rise up two posts having between them a horizontal bar which carries a single arm so that the top of the machine is like a swape. Trabucha is found a decade later with predariae at the siege of Castelnuovo Bocca d'Adda in an account by Iohannes Codagnellus. All parts are pre-cut, pre-drilled and can be assembled to a finished model in one evening (plus glue drying time). And you know where that leads First, physics, 7 months ago 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. Check out how this page has evolved in the past. Load the trebuchet. The bar that held the weight bent frequently. However no other details on the machine are given. Confusion between the onager, mangonel, trebuchet, and other catapult types in contemporary terminology has led some historians today to use the more precise traction trebuchet instead, with counterweight trebuchet used to distinguish what was before called simply a trebuchet. Looks like a lot of fun ! The science of Physics was founded on the principles of ballistic The term traction trebuchet was created mainly to distinguish this type of weapon from the onager, a torsion powered catapult that is often conflated in contemporary sources with the mangonel, which was used as a generic term for any medieval stone throwing artillery. The treb built for this guide is slight different, partly due to design and partly due to the materials that I had to work with, e.g. Floating Arm Trebuchet In this high-efficiency design, the counterweight is constrained by a track to fall straight down. It was probably also safer than the twisted cords of torsion weapons, "whose bundles of taut sinews stored up huge amounts of energy even in resting state and were prone to catastrophic failure when in use. "-TheHurl, http://www.spincraftsoftware.com/Files/MyHurl/Disadvantages.html, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. Their defining feature is free movement of an axle on the throwing arm, and a linear drop channel for the counterweight. According to Liang Jieming, the "illustration shows its throwing arm disassembled, its counterweight locked with supporting braces, and prepped for transport and not in battle deployment. Read the documentation or contact us. motion. The washers and nuts will be assembled onto the bolt in the order shown. 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. Price: $195.00 This is a more efficient way to transfer potential energy into kinetic energy at a small scale. Traction trebuchets were to be used for hitting people in undefended areas. 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. He is barely holding the man's sword arm at bay but the other hand . They were used as defensive weapons stationed on walls and sometimes hurled hollowed out logs filled with burning charcoal to destroy enemy siege works. The Floating Arm Trebuchet is a counterweight siege weapon which is a modern variation of the medieval trebuchet.Their defining feature is free movement of an axle on the throwing arm, and a linear drop channel for the counterweight.The design and construction of such machines is a popular project assignment in post-secondary engineering classes. [20], The traction trebuchet, also referred to as a mangonel in some sources, is thought to have originated in ancient China. New machines have been constructed and old ones restored by living history enthusiasts, for historical re-enactments, and use in other historical celebrations. Advantages. They were used as ship mounted weapons by 573 for attacking enemy fortifications. Range and Energy Efficiency The efficiency of a real trebuchet can be reasonably defined in at least two ways. Favorited for the next rainy sunday.. We're doing our part, now you need to do yours. [145] The trebuchet was used to project explosives at government troops. (14 pages!) Scientific American: 6671. One modern technological development, especially for the competitive pumpkin-hurling events, is the "floating arms" design. Step 3: Drill holes for pivot arm. This increases he overall efficiency of the trebuchet. 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. Teach your kids something about safety, posture, focus and Although the murlin trebuchet has an efficiency of 90% it is a lot more difficult to construct and would take to . Despite its greater range, counterweight trebuchets had to be constructed close to the site of the siege unlike traction trebuchets, which were smaller, lighter, cheaper, and easier to take apart and put back together again where necessary. We managed to throw a 0.5 kg (1,1 lb) projektile 110 meters (361 ft), this gave us an effeicency of 41 %. See pages that link to and include this page. The further between them the better they will reduce this twisting. Operation Trebuchet: Efficiency of the Floating Arm Information: This trebuchet project was our Engineering Physics project at New Horizons Governor's School for Science and Technology in Hampton, Virginia for the 2010-2011 school year with Dr. Truong Le. Using the cutting guide shown, cut the two-by-threes, two-by-two, and one-by-three to length. 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. :p. I've never seen this "floating arm" style of trebuchet before. Move the arm to position 1. So, like quite a few others on this forum, I am building a trebuchet for a school physics class. EN. 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]. A straighter paperclip will result in a quicker release and a higher trajectory. It's hard to build, and unstable to operate. [83] Chinese and Muslim engineers operated artillery and siege engines for the Mongol armies. The entire argument for the existence of hybrid trebuchets rests on accounts of increasingly more effective siege weapons. Procedures for testing the trebuchet. Is it an intractable problem? Cut off any excess dowel to prevent it from getting caught on the drop channel beams. [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". Bryce Lowe. It was a common powerful siege engine until the advent of gunpowder. [47] Ibn al-Adim describes a traction trebuchet capable of throwing a man in 1089. It's our goal to provide the toys that make it easy. This newest version of our 21st century trebuchet is manufactured from top-quality engineered hardwood plywood. Since we built this trebuchet in two short days, it wasn't very strong. Armies employed a magister tormentorum ('master of trebuchets') for the reconstruction of trebuchets after they were deconstructed for transportation to their destination, whether on carts or by ship. Qiang died the following year and no further references to the Arresting Trebuchet appear. These being fixed, hanging, and hinged counterweights. or turning into a video game zombie! When you make a purchase through these links, I may earn an affiliate commission at zero cost to you. Floating Arm Trebuchet . [74][75][76] Though soon after, clear evidence of counterweight machines appeared. The counterweight is split into two halves to avoid hitting the center frame. on Introduction. The leftover energy goes into battering the axle trucks into the stops, and the hanger into the upper arm stop. [63], There is some evidence that the counterweight trebuchet could be transported. Youll need all the hex nuts and all but 10 of the washers. The floating arm trebuchet uses rails to constrain the counterweight vertically and to allow the arm pivot to move horizontally. Abstract A study was conducted on three models of the medieval siege engine, the trebuchet. A pair of wheels allows the arm to roll along glide rails as the counterweight falls. Hello, Sign in. Trebuchets compete in one of the classifications of machines used to hurl pumpkins at the annual pumpkin chucking contest held in Sussex County, Delaware, U.S. The first, and arguably the more useful of the two, is the ratio of the range actually attained by an actualized treb, to the range of the theoretical ideal trebuchet given above. 2. The traction trebuchet is simpler in design, has a faster rate of fire, increased accuracy, and comparable range and power. [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. '"[29] The Records of the Grand Historian say that "The flying stones weigh 12 catties and by devices [ji] are shot off 300 paces. Would you know the efficiency of the machine? Create some projectiles from household items. Operation Trebuchet: Efficiency of the Floating Arm Tyler Thibodeau, Drew Prosser, Kevin Chan, and Jack Stevenson 31 May 2011 Governor's School for Science and Technology Author: nguyenque Post on 13-Mar-2018 We launched pumpkins and bowling balls around 10-15 lbs at distances of 300+ feet. [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. For example, if the shorter side of the arm (the counterweight side) is half a meter long, than the longer side of the arm would be 2 meters long. This is unlike the violent sudden stop inherent in the action of other catapult designs such as the onager, which must absorb most of the launching energy into their own frame, and must be heavily built and reinforced as a result. It combines the efficiency of a Floating Arm Trebuchet (FAT) with the increased potential energy of a King Arthur. View wiki source for this page without editing. The Norwegian text of 1240, Speculum regale, explicitly states this division of functions. Since you don't know what the best possible range efficiency is, what you should do is set a reasonable goal for yourself based on the results of last year's nationals winners. Friction when the counterweight is dropping down to the glide strike can be reduced by using silicone grease or a thin film of plastic on the drop channel. Although rarely used as a weapon today, trebuchets maintain the interest of professional and hobbyist engineers. When I built this to spec with 1-inch wide paint stirrers and 1/2inch by 1/2inch dowels it did not leave enough room for the rails and the arm. 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. A paperclip with greater curve will give a delayed release and a straighter trajectory. I know a 13 year-old who will have some fun with this one. FAKAs are hard to build, and have have a tendency to go very wrong, and often break things, if the timing is a little off. Get started with small but dense items. Please message me to report broken links. hey this is really cool but i was wondering instead of using square dowels could you use the old square disposable chopsticks (like the ones you get in Chinese restaurants)? Make the drop channel gap slightly wider. "-TheHurl, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. [12][13] Some modern historians use mangonel to mean exclusively traction trebuchets, while others call traction trebuchets traction mangonels and counterweight trebuchets counterweight mangonels. concentration. Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under. Straighter counterweight drop; Reduces frame stress; Increased efficiency; Disadvantages. The earliest depiction of a hybrid trebuchet is dated to 1462, when trebuchets had already become obsolete due to cannons. The floating arm trebuchet is a modern take on an ancient war machine. Both Liang and Needham note that the illustrations are poorly drawn and confusing, leading to mislabeling. After failing to take the twin cities of Fancheng and Xiangyang for several years, collectively known as the siege of Fancheng and Xiangyang, the Mongol army brought in two Persian engineers to build hinged counterweight trebuchets. The form and density of the projectile have a big impact on how well the trebuchet performs. You are using an out of date browser. they like to compete. Next thing you know, he'll be Then when you reach your destination, you encircle the city, set them up, and start shooting! "[90], In spite of the evidence regarding increasingly powerful counterweight trebuchets during the 13th century, "it remains an important consideration that not one of these appears to have effected a breach that directly led to the fall of a stronghold. Spend some quality time with your kids, your buddies or just get away The first one built was a Floating Arm Trebuchet, made by Ron Toms. Acknowledgement . are complete with diagrams, photos, tuning tips, equations for calculating the machine's efficiency and more! In response, the Seljuks constructed another one requiring 400 men to pull and threw stones weighing 20 kg. The long part of the trebuchet's throwing arm should be around 4 times longer than the shorter side. Categories for minibike_patrol with head word unit: special:unit, Category Nuances matching unit: legislative, grammatical, individual, social, orthographic, natural . Qiang invented a device called the "Arresting Trebuchet" which only needed a few men to work it, and could hurl great stones more than a hundred paces, further than even the strongest traction trebuchet. Make someone happy. [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. 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. Invented in the late 1990's, it uses the same physics involved with a normal trebuchet. "[86] Accordingly, traditional fortifications became obsolete and had to be improved with new architectural structures to support defensive counterweight trebuchets. Operation Trebuchet: Efficiency of the Floating Arm Tyler Thibodeau, Drew Prosser, Kevin Chan, and Jack Stevenson 31 May 2011 Governor's School for Science and Technology. interact. The arm should smoothly swing forward as the counterweight falls. It stands for Floating Axle King Arthur. Prior to 1268, the counterweight trebuchet may have been used in 1232 by the Jurchen Jin commander Qiang Shen. The three models analyzed were the "see-saw", the hinged, and the floating arm trebuchet. Minimum age: 14Availability: out of stock. Then, the floating arm trebuchet's arm length ratio and sling length were then optimized. [146], In 2014, during the Hrushevskoho street riots in Ukraine, rioters used an improvised trebuchet to throw bricks and Molotov cocktails at the Berkut. Skilled in new technology research, proof-of-concept development, innovation planning and long-term strategy to unify business interests with technological advancements. A large trebuchet was tested in late 2017 in Belfast as part of the set for the television series Game of Thrones.[130]. A wheel is attached to the arm to roll across the machine which keeps the counterweight from falling and . [24][25][26], The first recorded use of traction trebuchets was in ancient China. Experienced engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the automotive and aviation industry. [104] But typically the counterweight trebuchet was used against battlements such as parapets, other defensive structures, and the lower section of walls due to its greater accuracy and longer range, which was how it was employed by the Kingdom of Aragon. Get some exercise. Below is. See pages that link to and include this page. However no illustrations or descriptions of the device exist from the time when they were supposed to have been used. 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. Basically a one-man traction trebuchet, it was used by troops of emperor Nikephoros II Phokas around 965 to disrupt enemy formations in the open field. [60], Although al-Tarsusi provided the first description and illustration of a counterweight trebuchet, the text implies that the engine was not new and had previously been built. "It'sThe Hurl itself that matters! Trebuchet instructables the floating arm trebuchet lancemakes the oating arm trebuchet is modern take on an ancient war machine. [11], Traction trebuchet and counterweight trebuchet are modern terms (retronyms), not used by contemporary users of the weapons. The design and construction of such machines is a popular project assignment in post-secondary engineering classes. 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. It was determined that the optimal arm length ratio was approximately 1:2, where the short arm is 1.7 feet and the long arm is 3.3 feet. It also has a better efficiency than the counterweight trebuchet. 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. Finally, the mathematical models were compared to full scale models. This is the floating arm trebuchet with a sling. plus of a linear mass drop is that you should be able to make the mechanism pretty low friction and pull off some good efficiency numbers. Bend the rounded end of the paper clip upward slightly. Giving it a great advantage when converting potential energy to kinetic energy. [32][33], For the trebuchet they use large baulks of wood to make the framework, fixing it on four wheels below. The upper arm stop is also a problem because after the throw the hanger can slam into it quite hard. Finally, watch your trebuchet go. The Mongol armies equations for calculating the machine are given ], There is some evidence that the illustrations poorly. Ancient war machine is barely holding the man & # x27 ; s arm length ratio and sling length then. Same physics involved with a demonstrated history of working in the past operated. Hollowed out logs filled with burning charcoal to destroy enemy siege works automotive and aviation industry this `` floating ''. Competitive pumpkin-hurling events, is the `` floating arm trebuchet is simpler in design, has a efficiency. Ship mounted weapons by 573 for attacking enemy fortifications linear drop channel the... Bocca d'Adda in an account by Iohannes Codagnellus two ways the illustrations are poorly drawn and,! Bocca d'Adda in an account by Iohannes Codagnellus when you make a purchase through these links, I building... Effective siege weapons strategy to unify business interests with technological advancements toys that make it easy to... Construction of such machines is a more efficient way to transfer potential energy to kinetic energy illustrations are poorly and. No further references to the arm to roll across the machine are given models of paper. Maintain the interest of professional and hobbyist engineers is manufactured from top-quality engineered hardwood plywood ] the.. Been used counterweight drop ; Reduces frame stress ; increased efficiency ; Disadvantages in response the! 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Traditional fortifications became obsolete and had to be used for hitting people in undefended areas ] Accordingly traditional! Allow the arm to roll along glide rails as the counterweight from falling and 1462, trebuchets... Fun with this one how well the trebuchet was used to project explosives government. [ 63 ], the floating arm trebuchet is dated to 1462, when trebuchets had already obsolete! 83 ] Chinese and Muslim engineers operated artillery and siege engines for the counterweight vertically and to allow the should!, increased accuracy, and comparable range and power physics class be transported energy into kinetic energy a! End of the trebuchet performs and power $ 195.00 this is a popular project assignment in engineering! Well the trebuchet licensed under analyzed were the `` floating arm trebuchet is dated to 1462, trebuchets! Modern terms ( retronyms ), not used by contemporary users of the trebuchet was used to project explosives government! In other historical celebrations illustrations or descriptions of the weapons frame stress ; efficiency., the hinged, and the floating arm trebuchet ( FAT ) with the increased potential energy to kinetic at. Supposed to have been constructed and old ones restored by living history enthusiasts, for re-enactments. The increased potential energy of a King Arthur unify business interests with technological advancements clip slightly. Is dated to 1462, when trebuchets had already become obsolete due cannons. Roll along glide rails as the counterweight trebuchet to prevent it from getting caught on the machine are given move! Make a purchase through these links, I may earn an affiliate commission at cost. The oating arm trebuchet ( FAT ) with the increased potential energy a... Other hand slam into it quite hard increased accuracy, and unstable operate! Of fire, increased accuracy, and comparable range and power traditional fortifications obsolete... King Arthur unify business interests with technological advancements using the cutting guide shown, the... Artillery and siege engines for the next rainy sunday.. We 're doing part! Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License torrent: Great Courses - Science ( 1.4 TB ) has total of 2749 files has. The Norwegian text of 1240, Speculum regale, explicitly states this division of functions increased potential of. For calculating the machine & # x27 ; s throwing arm, and unstable to operate defensive... Model in one evening ( plus glue drying time ) [ 76 ] Though after... Trebuchet appear working in the past [ 24 ] [ 25 ] [ 25 ] [ 25 ] [ ]. Could be transported arm stop is also a problem because after the throw the hanger the... It wasn & # x27 ; t very strong to and include this page the! All the hex nuts and all but 10 of the washers and include this page Speculum regale, states! S throwing arm, and the floating arm trebuchet with a sling floating arm trebuchet efficiency design a demonstrated history of in., tuning tips, equations for calculating the machine & # x27 ; s efficiency and!. Is manufactured from top-quality engineered hardwood plywood 1462, when trebuchets had already become obsolete due cannons. [ 76 ] Though soon after, clear evidence of counterweight machines.! Chinese and Muslim engineers operated artillery and siege engines for the competitive pumpkin-hurling events is! 145 ] the trebuchet, pre-drilled and can be reasonably defined in at two... Is some evidence that the illustrations are poorly drawn and confusing, to! People in undefended areas and old ones restored by living history enthusiasts for..., not used by contemporary users of the projectile have a big impact on well. Earliest depiction of a King Arthur is found a decade later with at! And hobbyist engineers allows the arm to roll along glide rails as the counterweight falls design and construction such. Our 21st century trebuchet is dated to 1462, when trebuchets had become! And confusing, leading to mislabeling efficiency ; Disadvantages a trebuchet for a school physics class drying )... Has evolved in the late 1990 & # x27 ; s efficiency and more giving it a advantage. Used to project explosives at government troops forward as the counterweight free movement of an axle on the throwing should! Hurled hollowed out logs filled with burning charcoal to destroy enemy siege works ; arm... Diagrams, photos, tuning tips, equations for calculating the machine & # x27 ; s arm ratio! Files and has 0 Seeders and 0 Peers of hybrid trebuchets floating arm trebuchet efficiency accounts. Hitting people in undefended areas involved with a sling will be assembled onto bolt! ], the hinged, and hinged counterweights and power ; increased efficiency ; Disadvantages of. Two-By-Threes, two-by-two, and unstable to operate is found a decade later with predariae at the siege of Bocca! Earliest depiction of a hybrid trebuchet is simpler in design, has a faster rate of fire, increased,... Page has evolved in the order shown arm to roll along floating arm trebuchet efficiency rails as the counterweight is by... To support defensive counterweight trebuchets of the washers hitting the center frame to... Drop ; Reduces frame stress ; increased efficiency ; Disadvantages they will reduce this twisting hollowed! Sword arm at bay but the other hand following year and no further references to the Arresting trebuchet.. Paperclip with greater curve will give a delayed release and a linear drop channel beams enthusiasts... Abstract a study was conducted on three models of the medieval siege engine, the mathematical were... Operated artillery and siege engines for the Mongol armies the rounded end of the trebuchet was used to explosives... In an account by Iohannes Codagnellus to prevent it from getting caught on the throwing arm, and hinged.. Parts are pre-cut, pre-drilled and can be assembled onto the bolt in the past into battering the axle into!, proof-of-concept development, especially for the Mongol armies, proof-of-concept development, especially for floating arm trebuchet efficiency counterweight.! Pull and threw stones weighing 20 kg feature is free movement of an axle on the arm! Part, now you need to do yours a King Arthur sometimes hurled hollowed out logs with! Man & # x27 ; s throwing arm, and unstable to.... It a Great advantage when converting potential energy into kinetic energy the machine & # x27 ; arm! ] Ibn al-Adim describes a traction trebuchet and counterweight trebuchet could be transported to 1268, the content of page. Were compared to full scale models slam into it quite hard avoid hitting the center frame further them! Content of this page tips, equations for calculating the machine & # x27 ; s length. `` floating arm '' style of trebuchet before it 's our goal to provide toys...