Trebuchet

Siege machines were developed in the 13th century to attack the solid Castle walls. As the defences of Castles improved so did the weapons of attack and siege machines were developed to attack the solid Castle walls. The trebuchet was the largest and most formidable of the siege machines and was, in essence, a huge catapult. A trebuchet is moved by a counterweight. The axle of the arm is near the top of a high strutted vertical frame. The shorter arm of the balance carries the counterweight and the longer arm the sling that carries the shot. The sling is usually braided from rope, and has a captive end attached to the arm, and a free end whose loop slips from a hook. A trigger, usually a toggle in a chain, holds the arm down after the trebuchet is cocked. Cocking is often performed with windlasses. The cocking sometimes was assisted by removing some or all of the stones or sand that acted as the counterweight. Because of the long winding time, a trebuchet's rate of fire was extremely slow, often not more than a couple of shots an hour. Yet some of the smaller types of trebuchets could fire a couple times a minute. In operation the long, nonweighted end is pulled toward the ground, and held by a trigger. When the trigger is released, the arm pulls the sling out of a channel in the base of the frame. When the ball moves close to the top of its arc, the free end of the sling slips from the hook, and the missile flies free. The trebuchet's arm and frame then oscillate for several cycles.
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