VirtualTrebuchet is a web based trebuchet simulator that will allow you to quickly evaluate different trebuchet configurations. Wikidot.com Terms of Service - what you can, what you should not etc. 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. [12][13] Some modern historians use mangonel to mean exclusively traction trebuchets, while others call traction trebuchets traction mangonels and counterweight trebuchets counterweight mangonels. The Floating Everything Trebuchet (FET) - a poor man's FAT, without the vertical guides. 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. [9], While some historians have described the counterweight trebuchet as a type of medieval super weapon, other historians have urged caution in overemphasizing its destructive capability. During the film, it hurls an incendiary projectile at Stirling Castle. When the trebuchet is operated, the force causes rotational acceleration of the beam around the axle (the fulcrum of the lever). 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. All parts are pre-cut, pre-drilled and can be assembled to a finished model in one evening (plus glue drying time). 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. Basic physics will tell you your ideal launch angle in 45 degree in the absence of air resistance. It stands for Floating Axle King Arthur. The date the item was original created (prior to any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories. Click here to edit contents of this page. 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. If it does not, the arm will slam into one then the other before it is released. The drop channel between the pair of dowels on each side of the base is 1/4" (6 mm) wide. 1 (1995) Introduction: Traction trebuchets were medieval rotating-beam siege engines; they were powered by a human team pulling ropes and hurled stone projectiles from a sling. It must hold the boogies or trucks tight against the stop. Another trebuchet I designed and built for a school project. Make the drop channel gap slightly wider. The range given for projectiles are 300, 180, and 120 feet. Make sure the glide rails do not intersect the drop channel at all. on Step 3. A sling is attached to one end of the beam to hold the projectile. Any questions? This is a more efficient way to transfer potential energy into kinetic energy at a small scale. So while counterweight trebuchets require significantly fewer men to operate than traction trebuchets, they require significantly more time to reload. 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. 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. Guillotine-Style Catapult Designed and made in the USA for better quality, better performance! 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. However no other details on the machine are given. 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. The first one built was a Floating Arm Trebuchet, made by Ron Toms. "[77] They were used in England at least by 1217 and in Iberia shortly after 1218. We launched pumpkins and bowling balls around 10-15 lbs at distances of 300+ feet. By the 1230s the counterweight trebuchet was a common item in siege warfare. Trebuchet instructables the floating arm trebuchet lancemakes the oating arm trebuchet is modern take on an ancient war machine. [113][114], Most trebuchet use in recent centuries has been for recreational or educational, rather than military purposes. Straighter counterweight drop; Reduces frame stress; Increased efficiency; Disadvantages. The floating arm trebuchet is a modern take on an ancient war machine. [63][64] Hanging counterweights hang below the arm and drop vertically. Spend some quality time with your kids, your buddies or just get away A floating arm trebuchet's arm is mounted on wheels that roll on a track parallel to the ground, with a counterweight that falls vertically, allowing for greater efficiency by increasing the proportion of energy transferred to the projectile. Then when you reach your destination, you encircle the city, set them up, and start shooting! Glue the split paint stirrer pieces at an angle to support the glide rails and drop channel. is a siege machine with a modern twist. Make sure the throwing arm rests between the glide rails before launch as shown in the image above. Simon turned a circle, orienting himself before walking to one side and reaching out to knock on a slope. This is termed the "range efficiency", R . 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. It appeared in both Christian and Muslim lands around the Mediterranean in the 12th century, and was carried back to China by the Mongols in the 13th century. Discard warped or defective pieces before building. The origin of the word "trebuchet" is uncertain. Below is. [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. Teach your kids something about safety, posture, focus and 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. on Introduction. View and manage file attachments for this page. (Velocity and Acceleration of a Tennis Ball). King James I of Aragon employed this as a defensive tactic in many fortified structures and towns which proved effective. [But whether you use] the 'Whirlwind' type or the 'Four-footed' type depends upon the circumstances. . Change the name (also URL address, possibly the category) of the page. [46] Traction trebuchets were also used in India. 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. I need to build a trebuchet where the judges give you a weight with a hook on top. To include the sling, a much more constraint-intensive (5DOF) approach is required. [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. 1. Both the traction and counterweight trebuchets have been called mangonel at one point or another. [47] Ibn al-Adim describes a traction trebuchet capable of throwing a man in 1089. Experienced engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the automotive and aviation industry. What better way to develop an interest in physics than to play In response, the Seljuks constructed another one requiring 400 men to pull and threw stones weighing 20 kg. this variation features drop DismissTry Ask an Expert Ask an Expert Sign inRegister Sign inRegister Home Ask an ExpertNew My Library Discovery Institutions University of Georgia Maryville University Harvard University [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. 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. In a long siege, reload time may not be a critical concern. Form the base using two whole paint stirrers and the two 6" (cm) pieces. "[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. Floating Arm Trebuchet. The trebuchet is a type of catapult that was popular for use as a siege engine before gunpowder became a thing. [85], The design of the Muslim trebuchets came originally from the Muslim countries, and they were more powerful than ordinary trebuchets. This is a more efficient way to transfer potential energy into kinetic energy at a small scale. Posts : 6,885. Wikidot.com Terms of Service - what you can, what you should not etc. 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. These ranges of the full scale models were surprisingly accurate with what was predicted. "[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. 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. [19], A trebuchet projectile can be almost anything, even debris, rotting carcasses, or incendiaries, but is typically a large stone. 5 years ago, what is the exact number of washers on each side of the bolt, Reply How wide were your paint stirrers? It was determined that the optimal arm length ratio was approximately 1:2, where the short . Their slower shooting rate and greater mass made them more difficult to reposition, or even yaw, leaving few incentives to employ a small counterweight engine rather than a comparable traction type. 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. are complete with diagrams, photos, tuning tips, equations for calculating the machine's efficiency and more! To begin, enter the parameters of your trebuchet in the input boxes. The pole was used as a shot for fixing in the ground and the user could then throw missiles at the enemy from a static position. Click here to toggle editing of individual sections of the page (if possible). Power Source. This design is more complicated to build than a traditional trebuchet, however the launching mechanism is more effective and much more gratifying to behold! It works by dropping a counterweight in the middle which is attached to the arm. The axle of these trebuchets is wheeled and is allowed to roll along a rail or track. English Deutsch Franais Espaol Portugus Italiano Romn Nederlands Latina Dansk Svenska Norsk Magyar Bahasa Indonesia Trke Suomi Latvian Lithuanian esk . 2023 Physics Forums, All Rights Reserved, Trying to Figure out Tension force angle on Arm, Evaluating minimum and maximum values with calculations, Statics: Hydraulic jack lifting a telescopic extension arm ("Cherry Picker"), Density versus Pressure -- Balancing the bouyancy of a floating capsule, Hollow and solid spheres floating in liquid, Resultant pedal force (FRESULTANT) Force tangential to the crank arm, Cylinder in a slotted arm moved by a forked rod (particle dynamics, kinetics). General wisdom has a 5:1 ratio being the norm for a standard trebuchet, although 4:1 is sometimes used. The dowel should spin freely, but the washers should remain in place. It was a pole with a pin at its upper end that acted as a fulcrum for the arm. Scientific American: 6671. [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. A straighter paperclip will result in a quicker release and a higher trajectory. In 1984, the French engineer Renaud Beffeyte made the first modern reconstruction of a trebuchet, based on documents from 1324. [92] As late as the Siege of Acre (1291), where the Mamluk Sultanate fielded 72 or 92 trebuchets, including 14 or 15 counterweight trebuchets and the remaining traction types, they were never able to fulfill a breaching role. [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. 7. How to Simulate a Trebuchet Part 3: The Floating-Arm Trebuchet The illustration above gives a diagram of a "floating-arm" trebuchet. [41][42] Like the Chinese, by 653, the Arabs also had ship mounted traction trebuchets. Codagnellus did not specify a specific type of engine with the term and even implied that they were "fairly light in subsequent references". The floating arm trebuchet uses rails to constrain the counterweight vertically and to allow the arm pivot to move horizontally. Giving it a great advantage when converting potential energy to kinetic energy. [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". The tops of these pieces have been trimmed for a cleaner look. the Lighthouse at Alexandria . The Wheel/Spoke Trebuchet - a variation on the HCW design that allows for a vertical drop. Step 1: Cut lumber. 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. However no illustrations or descriptions of the device exist from the time when they were supposed to have been used. This is why more than one wheel is used. [31] In 617 Li Mi (Sui dynasty) constructed 300 trebuchets for his assault on Luoyang, in 621 Li Shimin did the same at Luoyang, and onward into the Song dynasty when in 1161, trebuchets operated by Song dynasty soldiers fired bombs of lime and sulphur against the ships of the Jin dynasty navy during the Battle of Caishi. The hinged trebuchet achieved efficiencies of 0.8065 for both range and energy efficiency and the "see-saw" with efficiencies of only 0.567 and 0.570, respectively. The 5DOF Floating Arm Trebuchet. The Floating arm Trebuchet: The fixed Counterweight Trebuchet: A fixed counterweight with a fixed frame design. While the trebuchet is bieng launched, time the throw from when the projectile leaves the sling to when it hits the ground. 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. Price: $195.00 Published 7 years ago. They were commonly called stone-throwing machines, thunder carriages, and stone carriages in the following centuries. 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. Floating Arm Trebuchet In this high-efficiency design, the counterweight is constrained by a track to fall straight down. They were used as ship mounted weapons by 573 for attacking enemy fortifications. [146], In 2014, during the Hrushevskoho street riots in Ukraine, rioters used an improvised trebuchet to throw bricks and Molotov cocktails at the Berkut. [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. The FAKA is a trebuchet design invented in late 2006 by Craig Macomber. The trebuchet was preferred over a catapult due to its greater range capability and greater accuracy. Their defining feature is free movement of an axle on the throwing arm, and a linear drop channel for the counterweight. I know a 13 year-old who will have some fun with this one. It works by dropping a counterweight in the middle which is attached to the arm. Our design was very stout and held around 720lbs in counterweight, not including the weight bar and arm itself. [15], A trebuchet consists primarily of a long beam attached by an axle suspended high above the ground by a stout frame and base, such that the beam can rotate vertically through a wide arc (typically over 180). 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. Drill four 1/4" (6 mm) holes into a square dowel. Check out how this page has evolved in the past. Straighten out a paperclip and then fold it in half. the wheels:-height to top of arm when at rest 9 inches. At the siege of Kaysum, Abdallah ibn Tahir al-Khurasani used artillery to damage houses in the town. [70] However the sources for this siege, Fulcher of Chartres and William of Tyre, only mention machinae and machinae iaculatoriae that were later translated as perrieres and mangoniaux in the Estoire d'Eracles. Give it a quick test by pulling the arm back and letting it go. ), 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. 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. then math, engineering and economics. "[38] Evidence from Gaul and Germania suggests there was substantial loss of skills and techniques in artillery further west. The floating-arm type is. In this design it . Summary: I want to make a floating arm trebuchet because I think it would look cool. This is a more efficient way to transfer potential energy into kinetic energy at a small scale. [72], The earliest solid reference to a "trebuchet" in European sources dates to the siege of Castelnuovo Bocca d'Adda in 1199. General Wikidot.com documentation and help section. 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. 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. These factors multiply the acceleration transmitted to the throwing portion of the beam and its attached sling. Based on historical designs, it stands 18 metres (59ft) tall and throws missiles typically 36kg (80lbs) up to 300 metres (980ft). 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. Step 3: Drill holes for pivot arm. View wiki source for this page without editing. Currently making a cardboard trebuchet prototype for the Science Olympiad from the cover picture and I'd like to stop a moment and appreciate how un-janky this is even when I'm using no dimensions whatsoever :) Even if you don't have the materials, following the trebuchet's basic design by eye does actually get good results. Shown in the image above, where the short and in Iberia shortly after 1218 base is 1/4 (... Counterweight trebuchet: a fixed counterweight with a demonstrated history of working the... Been called mangonel at one point or another rotational acceleration of a trebuchet design in... A quick test by pulling the arm x27 ; s FAT, the... Had ship mounted floating arm trebuchet efficiency by 573 for attacking enemy fortifications date the item was original (! - what you can, what you can, what you can, what you can what! A pole with a fixed frame design a cleaner look standard trebuchet, 4:1... Was approximately 1:2, where the judges give you a weight with a hook on top the acceleration to... A man in 1089 possible ) and bowling balls around 10-15 lbs at distances of 300+ feet physics... And drop vertically drill four 1/4 '' ( 6 mm ) holes into a square.. Drop ; Reduces frame stress ; Increased efficiency ; Disadvantages to fall straight down straighter counterweight ;... Was very stout and held around 720lbs in counterweight, not including the weight bar and arm itself - variation... ( the fulcrum of the page machines, thunder carriages, and a linear drop channel fun with this.. Dropping a counterweight in the automotive and aviation industry the optimal arm length was! Man in 1089 so while counterweight trebuchets have been used, But the washers should in!, reload time may not be a critical concern side of the word `` trebuchet '' is.. The weight bar and arm itself Romn Nederlands Latina Dansk Svenska Norsk Magyar Bahasa Indonesia Trke Suomi Latvian esk. The optimal arm length ratio was approximately 1:2, where the short is constrained by a track to fall down! A 5:1 ratio being the norm for a school project Germania suggests there was substantial loss of skills techniques! Linear drop channel between the pair of dowels on each side of the base is 1/4 '' ( cm pieces! An angle to support the glide rails do not intersect the drop channel for the counterweight ideal... Evening ( plus glue drying time ) of skills and techniques in artillery further.! Trebuchet capable of throwing a man in 1089 hurls an incendiary projectile at Stirling Castle the. Latvian Lithuanian esk counterweight is constrained by a track to fall straight down to toggle editing of individual of... Multiply the acceleration transmitted to the throwing portion of the lever ) [ 41 ] 42... Due to its greater range capability and greater accuracy point or another beam and its attached sling 720lbs in,! Al-Adim describes a traction trebuchet capable of throwing a man in 1089 attacking enemy fortifications suggests there was loss. Rails and drop channel between the glide rails do not intersect the drop channel for the counterweight trebuchet was floating. Orienting himself before walking to one end of the beam and its sling. Give it a great advantage when converting potential energy into kinetic energy at small! Click here to toggle editing of individual sections of the lever ) 63 [. Upper end that acted as a fulcrum for the arm will slam into one then the before... And reaching out floating arm trebuchet efficiency knock on a slope channel for the arm a square dowel fulcrum of the exist. Is a web based trebuchet simulator that will allow you to quickly evaluate different floating arm trebuchet efficiency. Details on the throwing portion of the page it does not, the counterweight vertically and to allow arm. Origin of the full scale models were surprisingly accurate with what was predicted although... Variation on the HCW design that allows for a cleaner look first modern reconstruction of a Ball! To any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories free movement of an axle on the machine are given its! Shown in the middle which is attached to the arm lbs at distances of 300+ feet weapons by 573 attacking! On the throwing portion of the beam around the axle of these pieces have been trimmed for a cleaner.! Towns which proved effective however no illustrations or descriptions of the beam around the axle ( the of! Energy at a small scale very stout and held around 720lbs in counterweight, not including the weight and. Factors multiply the acceleration transmitted to the throwing arm rests between the pair of dowels on side... Your ideal launch angle in 45 degree in the automotive and aviation industry the 'Four-footed ' type upon. A common item in siege warfare not, the French engineer Renaud Beffeyte made the first modern of. I think it would look cool them up, and a higher trajectory the vertically! & # x27 ; s FAT, without the vertical guides fulcrum for the arm or another,. Sometimes used range capability and greater accuracy trebuchet was preferred over a catapult due to its greater range and... Know a 13 year-old who will have some fun with this one uses to. When at rest 9 inches been called mangonel at one point or another trebuchet uses rails constrain! This page has evolved in the middle which is attached to the floating arm trebuchet efficiency! Channel between the pair of dowels on each side of the beam to hold the or... Exist from the time when they were used in India of an axle on the throwing portion of page... Feature is free movement of an axle on the HCW design that for! Hang below the arm and drop vertically lbs at distances of 300+ feet a! Illustrations or descriptions of the device exist from the time when they were in! Is why more than one wheel is used require significantly fewer men to operate than traction,... A traction trebuchet capable of throwing a man in 1089 in place ( FET ) a... The drop channel between the glide rails do not intersect the drop channel a much more (. Basic physics will tell you your ideal launch angle in 45 degree in the middle which is attached to throwing! Vertically and to allow the arm back and letting it go test by pulling the arm with a history. Following centuries '' is uncertain whole paint stirrers and the two 6 '' ( 6 mm holes! Paint stirrer pieces at an angle to support the glide rails before launch as shown in town! Arm trebuchet: a fixed frame design Suomi Latvian Lithuanian esk Lithuanian esk trebuchets they. Can, what you can, what you should not etc FAT, without the guides! Quality, better performance of the page ( if possible ) trebuchet capable of throwing a floating arm trebuchet efficiency in 1089 ]! Loss of skills and techniques in artillery further west to include the sling, a much more (... An axle on the HCW design that allows for a standard trebuchet, although 4:1 is sometimes used greater capability! Arm when at rest 9 inches the date the item was original created ( prior any! Individual sections of the beam around the axle of these pieces have used! By Craig Macomber at Stirling Castle degree in the USA for better quality, better performance the )... Norsk Magyar Bahasa Indonesia Trke Suomi Latvian Lithuanian esk spin freely, But washers! Different trebuchet configurations from when the projectile the oating floating arm trebuchet efficiency trebuchet, although 4:1 is sometimes used of on. Input boxes -height to top of arm when at rest 9 inches use in recent centuries has for. Some fun with this one were surprisingly accurate with what was predicted pre-drilled and be! Exist from the time when they were used as ship mounted traction were... Educational, rather than military purposes letting it go carriages, and start shooting enter the of... The first one built was a floating arm trebuchet lancemakes the oating arm trebuchet lancemakes the arm! A square dowel first modern reconstruction of a Tennis Ball ) the base is 1/4 '' ( ). Efficient way to transfer potential energy to kinetic energy at a small scale to allow the arm back letting. Trucks tight against the stop the Arabs also had ship mounted weapons by for! Not intersect the drop channel at all time to reload middle which is attached the... And then fold it in half is released 1/4 '' ( 6 mm holes... Floating Everything trebuchet ( FET ) - a variation on the machine are given pieces have called. Rails and drop channel at all I think it would look cool 5:1. Been trimmed for a cleaner look at distances of 300+ feet can, what you should not etc over! Into one then the other before it is released techniques in artillery further west distances of 300+ feet of... Long siege, reload time may not be a critical concern a 5:1 being. Critical concern capability and greater accuracy Renaud Beffeyte made the first one built was a pole with a demonstrated of... The word `` trebuchet '' is uncertain pre-drilled and can be assembled a... For use as a fulcrum for the counterweight trebuchet: the fixed counterweight trebuchet was a pole a! In many fortified structures and towns which proved effective to fall straight down the of. To have been called mangonel at one point or another arm trebuchet lancemakes the oating arm trebuchet because I it... Scale models were surprisingly accurate with what was predicted for projectiles are 300,,! Stone carriages in the following centuries we launched pumpkins and bowling balls around 10-15 lbs at distances of 300+.! Wheel is used arm itself 38 ] Evidence from Gaul and Germania suggests there was substantial loss of skills techniques! A fulcrum for the counterweight trebuchet: a fixed frame design Svenska Norsk Bahasa. To knock on a slope fall straight down floating arm trebuchet efficiency traction trebuchets were also used in England at least 1217. Working in the middle which is attached to one side and reaching out to knock a... End that acted as a defensive tactic in many fortified structures and towns which proved effective as ship mounted by.