Medieval, renascence crossbows and spanning devices 3

Windlass crossbow

Windlass crossbow had thick and broad steel bow. Bow of this crossbow was drawn by windlass. This crossbow is used short before the last quarter of 14th century and in 15th century. Stock of this crossbow was made from tough wood, such as beech. Stock was around 3 feet long. Almost all parts on the stock is made from steel. Nut which hold string was made from steel or horn (from crown of stags antler). Bow was length of 2 feet, 6 inches to 2 feet, 8 inches, it is slightly canted upward. String for this crossbow is made from hemp or flax.

Windlass is spanning device consist from six wheels, cords, hooks, handles and more metal parts. This device is easy for use. Device was putted to crossbow, hooks is putted to string and string is drawn to the nut by using handles on back of the crossbow. When attached to crossbow windlass can draw string to the nock in 12 seconds.

Siege crossbow was made also with steel bow and it is drawn with windlass. Siege crossbow had weight of about 18 lbs and huge power.

Rack and pinion crossbow

Rack and pinion is spanning device introduced in the last quarter of 15th centry. This device called cranequin (french word) was used on the hunting crossbows, it was simpler to use than the windlass but considerably slower to work. This device was rare in warfare on millitary crossbows. Crossbows used with cranequin usualy had no stirrup. Cranequin could draw string to nut in 30 seconds.

Rack and pinion crossbow had increased width of stock near the lock, or two tranverse iron pins near the lock and against that pinsthe cord of cranequin was rested. Trigger of crossbow is shorted and also fitted with safely trigger. Cranequin consist of ratchet bar with hook, small spindel, large and small wheel, metal ring, and cord. Bow was drawn by putting  cord through back side of stock, putting the cranequin on the stock, hooking the string, turning handle to the right till string is drawn to the lock, than cranequin was removed.

Crossbow drawing with windlass:

Cranequin:
 

Crossbow drawing with cranequin:

Medieval, renascence crossbows and spanning devices 2

In 14th century was popular belt and claw method for drawing bows of crossbows. Belt and claw is spanning device consist of waist belt and metal claw single or double pronged attached to the belt. Drawing of bow was done by lifting the crossbow attaching claw to middle of string, putting the right foot in the stirrup and by straightening bended foot string was drawn to the lock. Other method was possible without lifting the crossbow by hooking string, putting foot in the stirrup and by lifting the whole body string was rised to the lock. In Gaston Phoebus manuscipt (14th century) there are many pictures representing crossbows drawn with belt and claw. Gaston work on hunting is very valuable source of information about medieval hunting.

Spanning device for more powerful bow on crossbow was screw and handle. This device was used in 15th century even on steel bow on crossbow. Representetation of this device is very rare in manucripts. This device consists from screw rod with hook and handle. It was used on crossbows that had longitudal whole on rised part of stock of crossbow. Bow was drawn by pushing the screw rod through that hole, hooking the string and by screwing the handle at the end of the rod, then device is removed when string is on the lock.

Crossbow with steel bow

Spanning device for more powerful bow on crossbow was goats-foot lever. This steel device is used from middle of 14th and till and in 15th century and it is used on steel bows. This method of spanning is fast, easy and because of that it is used also by the mounted croossbowmen. This device consist of handle, fork and two claws. Crossbow drawn with this device had two tranverse pin close to the end of the stock. Bow was drawn by holding the crossbow in air or by putting it on the ground, hooking with claws centre of the string, placing the prongs of the fork on tranverse iron pins of crossbow and by pulling the handle back. In this way string was drawn to the lock.

Crossbow drawing with belt and claw:

Goats-foot lever:

Steel crossbow with goats-foot lever:

 Drawing crossbow with goats-foot lever:

Medieval, renascence crossbows and spanning devices 1

Crossbow with self bow

The earliest crossbow had bow made of one piece of wood. Bow was made from ash or yew. Bow was long and thick. These crossbows was without stirrup for the feet.

Bow was bend by putting the feets on it and drawing the string by both hands to the catch of the lock.

Anna Comnena, who wrote account of first Crusade, gave description of this type of crossbow and spanning of its bow.

Later metal stirrup was added on forehead of crossbow. Bow for crossbow with stirrup was drawn by placing one foot (in case of larger crossbow both feet) in stirrup and drawing string by both hands to the socket.

Crossbow with composite bow

Later crossbow had composite bow. Bow was made from horn or whalebone, yew, sinew (neck tendon of ox or horse) and glue. That bow was shorter and more powerful than self bow.

Composite crossbows was brought to Europe from the East by the Saracens, during Crusades in 12th century and from that time it was popularized through Europe. John of England, Richard the Lionheart had in their armies crossbowmen with composite crossbows.

Composite bow was first drawn by hands, but in 13th and 14th century there was used spanning device called cord and pulley. One part of cord was attached to a ring in crossbowman belt and the other passed over the wheel of small pulley and was attached to a metal stud near end of crossbow. Claw of pulley was hooked over the string close to its center. Than feet was placed in stirrup, and using the feet and straightetening body, force was applied and string was drawn to the lock. 

Crossbow with self bow:

 Composite crossbow:

Cord and pulley:

Gastraphetes and polybolos

Gastraphetes

Gastraphetes is ancient greek type of crossbow. It is invented by engineer Ctesibius (285-222 BC). It was powered by composite bow and cocked by resting the stomach in a concavity on the rear of the stock and presing down. Gastraphetes is described by Heron of Alexandria in 1st century AD in his work Belopoeica (On arrow-making). Heron described gastraphetes in details so it can be reconstructed using only his work.

A larger version of gastraphetes is oxybeles, it was a siege weapon.

Polybolos

Ancient Greeks also used huge repeating crossbow called polybolos. Polybolos is invented by Dionysius of Alexandria in 3rd century BC. This crossbow shoot 4 bolts in a minute. It could be reloaded by one man.

Gastraphetes:

 

Oxybeles:

 Polybolos:

Chu-ko-nu, Lian Nu

Chu-ko-nu

Chu-ko-nu is chinese hand held repeating crossbow. Its predecessor is crossbow Ts´an Lien. Chu-ko-nu have magazine of 10 bolts and could fire 10 bolts in 20 seconds. This crossbow is invented by certain Chu Ko Liang during the later Han period (23-220 AD). He also invented Ts´an Lien, smaller version of Chu-ko-nu and it had a capacity of 4 bolts. Chu-ko-nu have high rate of fire, but in cost for reduced accuracy and penetration. It have range probably not exceedin 50-75 yards. It was used primarily against massed troops. Cavalry would be especially vulnerable, since horse is large target and wounded animal is hard to control. This crossbow is excellent fortress defense weapon against massed troops. Chu-ko-nu is used up until the Boxer Rebellion in China (1899-1901). Chu-ko-nu was fired from the waist.

Bow of Chu-ko-nu is composed of three strong pieces of bamboo, overlapping each other. On the upper part of the stock lies magazine. Magazine can be opened and than bolts could be dropped in from above. The lever is joined to the stock. By pulling lever weapon is operated. As it thrust forward the string drops into the notch, arrow falls into its place (slide), in front of the string. When lever is pulled back the string is realesed by trigger-peg and bolt is propelled.

Bolts have steel points and small feathers arranged in a slightly spiral form. Bolts is small, light and have little penetration power. For this reason it was in history sometimes dipped in poison, in order that a slight wound might prove fatal.

It was also used with two magazines and it could proppeled two bolts, instead of one, every time its bow recoiled.

Lian Nu

Lian nu is generic term for any type of crossbow which fired multiple bolt at the same time. It is multi-shot chinese siege crossbow. The term Lian nu first appeared around the end of the Warring States period.

Lian nu is often mentioned in Chinese military writings and records (for example Records of the Han which mention wheel-mounted Lian nu).

Lian nu was highly valued advantage in situations where density of fire was required (for example on mass troops), however advantage was for cost of reduced accuracy. Shot from Lian nu was like a buckshot from a shotgun, scatter of bolts in a spread.

Zhuge Liang of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period invented in 225 AD, the Yuan Rong. It was Lian nu which could fire 10 iron bolts simultaneously, each 20 cm long.

Lian nu also could be interconnected, and triggered with a single realease string. Tao Gu wrote (in 950 AD) about conecting 12 of them.

Lian nu was used around till late Ming dynasty period.

Chu-ko-nu:

Lian Nu: