Ballista
Design
Jason
Hoisington
Phys 212
3/21/05
Phys 212
3/21/05
http://www.dl.ket.org/latin1/gallery/military/images/ballista_.jpg
The design of the ballista was fairly simplistic. The arms were mounted into twisted ropes, which provided the tension. The ratchet was used to pull the arms back, increasing the tension. A spear or rock was loaded onto the ballista, and the release pin was pulled. The tension on the arms pulled them forward, and the spear or rock was propelled forward by the rope in between the arms.