Subject:
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Re: Cedric was: 2000 catalog page 16
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.castle
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Date:
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Wed, 8 Mar 2000 04:21:12 GMT
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Viewed:
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1694 times
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OK, audience is > 0 for a web page about catapults.
I spent some time at a recent exhibit on Da Vinci and Brunelleschi and other
artist-engineers. There were many catapult designs there! Actually, the model
that was under development was the trebuchet (tree-bucket). This is an arm able
to flip around more than 360 degrees on its axle. A rope sling connects a big
rock to one end of the arm. I forget how the arm is powered, but when it lets
go, it does its swinging thing, dragging the big rock underneath it and up into
the air. Sort of like if you reach under your legs to grab a football, then
heave it forward. But heave it up and throw it backwards over your head. To be
more like a trebuchet, follow through by performing a backflip.
Anyway, that was an Italian Renaissance engine.
The Greco-Roman catapult was actually a big crossbow that fires pointy sticks.
They had another one called a ballista that was also shaped like a crossbow
except it threw hundred pound rocks out of a 50 degree ramp. Ranges were 383
yards for the catapult and 300-500 yards for the ballista. Unless my book here
is wrong--I don't trust it too much.
At some point the two devices switched names. Usually when we think of a
catapult we think of a rock thrower that works like a lever. And a ballista
means a big crossbow that fires arrows. Probably the catapult died out, and
people got used to launching pointy sticks in ballistae instead of rocks.
Another device was then constructed with a spring-loaded lever with a little
sling full of shot.
I can't scan any pictures tonight but that's one account of catapults.
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Cedric was: 2000 catalog page 16
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| (...) Actually, it's the guy who meets him who's time-travelling. Or 'Visiting', as the cat calls it... (...) Yep, the cat and his kid travel with the Roman Legion, with the cat being a mascot or whatever... they get seperated from their group at a (...) (24 years ago, 7-Mar-00, to lugnet.castle)
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