Trebuchet

• A trebuchet is a piece of machinery that is used as a catapult to smash buildings and throwing objects.
• It has a counterweight on it that is used to sling the wooden arm on it with huge objects on it; hurling them into enemies or huge walls.
• Most effective European siege weapon of twelfth century.
• Can sling objects over 300 pounds 350 yards in the air and the object were six times as heavy as the projectiles a catapults could.
• Counter-weight could weigh 20,000 pounds and the size of the machine could be 50 ft.
• Sling offers the projectile to be thrown twice as far as normal.
• Parts of trebuchet: frame, counterweight, beam, sling and the guide chute.
• Frame: holds the machine together and has a place to drop the counterweight.
• Counterweight: when dropped is forced down in a pivot inside the frame and with its great force, spins the arm up which throws the sling.
• Guide chute: this is the part at the base of the frame that supports the projectile until it is thrown by the sling.italso guides the sling while it is being thrown to give it a smoothe and accurate throw.
• sling: a long strap-like mechanism that holds the the projectle and is thrown in the air by the arm. when thrown, the sling opens up and releases the projectile.