The Trebuchet

1
The Trebuchet

• By BETSY CONGDON

2
Origins

• China
• -5th to 3rd century BC
• -Traction Trebuchet
• Arab influence
• -Counterweight
• -Influence in expansion

Pictures L to R Cairo, Experimental, Experimental
3
In Europe

• Reached in approximately 500AD
• Origin of the name Engineer
• Origin of the word Trebuchet
• Scale Well

Picture T to B Grey, Castellan
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An Adaptation of the Past

• Catapult Comparison
• Traction-Hybrid-Counterweight
• The Mechanical Improvements
• Sling Length

Picture Grey
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History of Reconstruction

• Napoleon III
• No surviving Trebuchets
• Modern knowledge based on texts and
  reconstructions
• Arab resources

Pictures L to R Arabesque, Experimental
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Trebuchets
Pictures L to R Castlewales, RP Gamer, NFO, GW
Warmaster
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Power!

• Human v. Gravity
• Distances
• The Counterweight

Pictures Grey, Grey
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How Did it Work?

• Objects Thrown
• Long turn over time
• Balances
• -Counterweight
• -Projectile Weight
• -Throwing arm length
• -Angle of release

Picture David
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Stages of Motion

• Loading
• Setting Counterweight
• Release Trigger
• Release of Object
• Rocking Motion
• Reset

Picture Trebuchet
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Parts of a Trebuchet

• If a sling is made very much too short-roughly
  half of its proper length-the rock will go
  straight up. If this should occur the correct
  response is to run away very fast.- Tom Bullock

Beam Frame Sling Counterweight Trigger
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Cannon Kills Trebuchet

• Hernan Cortes- 1521

Picture Colonial
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Other Resources

• My Personal Page
• Make your own Trebuchet
• Trebuchet T-Shirts
• Scientific American Article
• And More Links!

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Sources

• Trebuchet. www.wikipedia.org. A wikimedia
  project. http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trebuchet.
  Jan 22, 2005
• Experimental Rconstruction of a Medieval
  Trebuchet. The Medieval Centre Siege Engines.
  Dr. Peter Vemming Hansen. 1992.
  www.Middelaldercentret.dk/acta.html
• Medieval Siege. Nova Online. PBS. January 2000.
  www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet.
• TrebuchetSome Experiments with Trebuchets. Tom
  Bullock. January 22, 2005. www.tbullock.com/trebuc
  het.html
• The Grey Company Trebuchet Page. The Grey
  Company. April 2004. http//members.iinet.net.au/
  rmine/bctrebs.html
• The Trebuchet. Scientific American Magazine.
  Scientific American Online Archives. July 1995.
  www.sciamarchive.org

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Pictures

• www.2md.dk/gw-warmaster/images/engines_of_war_and_
  seige/
• www.bamsoftware.com/trebuchet
• www.college.emory.edu/culpepper/Bakewell/period.hm
  l
• www.leidenuniv.nl/fsw/band/sinai/culture/CairoCita
  del/cairocitadel.html
• www.fordham.edu/history/smail/1300/images_and
  _texts/06-Trebuchet.htm
• www.shjmuseum.gov.ae/museums/islamic/islam_arab.ht
  m
• www.physics.sfasu.edu/astro/courses.egrill.html
• www.castlewales.com/trebuchet.html
• www.rpgamer.com/games/other/pc/sbane/sbaneart.html
  
• http//Nfo.edu/trebuche.htm