Floating Arm Trebuchet (FAT)
A fixed counterweight trebuchet where the Counterweight is forced to fall straight down by a counterweight guide. The axle is allowed to roll forwards and backwards on a rail. Please see An article started by Ron Toms, the inventor of the design. He also sells a great Floating Arm Trebuchet Kit (Pictured Right, Throws golf balls 200 feet!)
Machines
Power Source
Gravity or Springs
Advantages
- Efficient when tuned
- Forced increase in projectile path by axle displacement allows lower arm ratio and therefor a larger drop than a comparable FCW
Disadvantages
- Harder to make than an FCW or HCW
- Track gap
Pictures
page revision: 9, last edited: 16 Nov 2008 22:08