![]() The cranequin has a toothed wheel which connects to a toothed bar that has a double hook at the end. It was meant to be a faster means of loading the crossbow. The cranequin was a device used to arm a crossbow by cranking a gear. Once the weapon was ready, the windlass could be removed. It has to be wound up to pull the bowstring over the nut and then wound back down to secure the string to the nut. The windlass is a metal frame that attaches to the butt-end of the tiller. In doing this, the soldier could use his full body weight to lift the bowstring and connect it to the nut. ![]() As the name suggests, when it was time to span their crossbow, soldiers would wrap the belt around their waist and hook the belt to the bowstring. Simply put, it’s a belt with a hook on it. Soldiers would set the pavise on its stand (located in the back) which would give them enough time and protection to reload and fire their weapon safely. These shields were made in Pavia, Italy and are so named after the city. The pavise was a large shield that soldiers carried on their backs. QuiverĪ quiver is a box that was hung from the belt that held all of the bolts. Some fletchings had spiral designs that allowed the bolt to spin mid-flight. Bolts are either made of ule or ash and have two fletchings on the back.įletchings were made of feather, leather, wood, or even parchment paper. They fit inside of a groove that’s cut along the tiller. Bolts are also referred to as ‘quarrels’. The bolt is a short, heavy arrow that’s designed for crossbows. For example saying, “I am spanning my crossbow” translates to, “I’m loading my crossbow”. The lock is the release mechanism which included the string, sears, and trigger lever. The strings were pulled back to engage with the nut and the added pressure on the trigger would release the nut and send the string forward. Crossbow StringsĬrossbow strings were made out of plaited or braided hair or thread. The bottom of the nut has a notch where the bowstring fits. Nuts are found halfway down the tiller which is a rotating catch made of brass or horn. ![]() The prod, also known as the ‘lath’, is the bow of the crossbow. Tillers are also known as the wooden ‘stock’. The medieval tiller is the wooden frame that the bow is mounted on. Using an arbalest also required more skill than regular crossbows. The term “arbalest” orignates from the Roman name ‘arcuballista’ which literally translates to a “bow missile-throwing engine”.Īn arbalest had a steel bow and a bow stave that was made out of elm or ule and it was more heavy and expensive than earlier models. Terminologyīefore we start let’s take a look at some common terms and gain an understanding of what they are: ArbalestĪn Arbalest is the earliest medieval crossbow. We will explore when the crossbow was invented and Chinese crossbows, common terminology, its history, and the revolutionary uses for crossbows today. Similar to the bow and arrow, a crossbow is a handheld mechanical, ranged weapon that shoots arrow-like projectiles. As we continue to make technological advances in modern weaponry, we start to wonder: where did it all start? Our journey begins in the 4th century BC with the invention of the handheld crossbow. ![]()
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