Elenco Catapult - Manual (Page 9)

7
Fixed Counterweight
Trebuchet
In the early middle ages, catapults were used to hurl objects directly at the castle walls.
The catapult was a heavy siege engine and used a lot of resources to build. It was
typically built in the attacking armies homeland and then transported to the location
of the siege.
In the late middle ages the trebuchet came to the forefront
as the weapon of choice for siege warfare. It was easier to
build and could hurl larger objects for further distances.
The Trebuchet
Trebuchet
The Catapult
Da Vinci And Catapults
In 1502, Leonardo Da Vinci was named the architect and Engineer General in service
to the Duke of Valentinois. During that time he worked on a variety of catapults and
other siege weapons and created improved versions It may appear strange that Da Vinci
spent time improving upon mechanical throwing machines, common in medieval times,
but in these were still formidable weapons in the fifteenth century. Weapons of the late
fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries were a combination of old mechanical artillery
and newer gunpowder weapons and Leonardo also delved into modern devices like
cannons and guns.
The Trebuchet (tray-boo-shay) was developed as a siege weapon.
It was used during the twelfth century to catapult boulders at castle
walls or towers in an attempt to breach the walls. A trebuchet consists
of five basic parts: the frame, counterweight, beam, sling and guide
chute. The frame supports the other components and provides a raised