What is a Trebuchet

1
What is a Trebuchet?

• A trebuchet is a medieval siege-engine and an
  efficient weapon of war.
• It was used to attack castles in the middle ages.
• The trebuchet could hurl stones weighing up to
  200 kg. This was over six times more powerful
  than the best catapults
• Trebuchets take into account math and physics in
  order to accomplish the daunting feet of
  overtaking the enemy.

2
How it works

• The trebuchet is based on the sling motion
• A large weight pulls down the arm
• This levers up the long end, whipping the sling
  in a circular motion
• -------------------------------------
• There are two types of trebuchets traction and
  weight powered.

3
Traction Trebuchets

• Are powered by humans. The weight of the
  trebuchet is men pulling on ropes.
• Traction trebuchets were used on smaller attacks.
  (example fortress)
• This is an advantage because weight trebuchets
  have the beam slowly wrenched back where the
  traction trebuchets beam quickly goes back into
  place based on human power.

4
Weight Powered Trebuchets

• Has a fixed weight tied to the beam or the weight
  is tied to a string and can swing.
• Mainly used for laying siege to castles The best
  weight powered trebuchets were able to fire stone
  missiles 200 ft while weighting up to 400 lbs
  big enough to do serious damage to a castle wall
  at a safe distance.
• Advantage They were huge!! (As explained
  above.)
• Allowed men to use different types of warfare
  psychological, biological, and physical.

5
Warfare Types

• Psychological
• Throwing back the heads of the enemies.
• Biological
• If you couldnt get in personally, send in a
  disease by throwing a dead cow or horse.
• Physical
• Breaking the castle walls and bones of the enemy

6
Why Stop?

• If these machines were so powerful and strong,
  why did people stop using them?
• Phased out with other weaponry.
  (Examples Guns, Cannons)
• Cannons and Guns were far more accurate and could
  shoot from further distances without the chance
  of getting hit by arrows.

7
Basic Parts of the Trebuchet

• Frame
• Supports the other components and provides a
  raised platform from which to drop the
  counterweight.
• Counterweight
• Pulled by gravity alone, rotates the beam.
• Beam (Long Arm Short Arm)
• Pulls the sling.
• Sling
• Accelerates and holds the projectiles until
  released.
• Guide Chute
• Guides the sling through the frame and supports
  the enclosed projectile until acceleration is
  sufficient to hold it in the sling.