ARCH - Siege Engines--repeating ballista

[Patrick J. Cuccurello]

>   Petruccio.  The Dionysius repeating balista should be workable, if
> complex.  A pair of catapult engineers named Diehls and Schramm built the
> machine around the turn of the century (1900), and they could put multiple
> bolts on a playing card at 100 yards.
>   Warning!  They never could make the wooden chain drive with 7
> sided drive
> wheels work!  Eventually they used bicycle sprockets and bicycle chain.
> See also:  Marsden, "Greek and Roman Artillery" Oxford U press.
>   Iolo.

Well at least it is do-able  :)   I was looking at the chain drive and since
I have some small background in casting, thought I'd cast a comparable
bronze
pinned link chain (yeah, I know it will be alot of work, but once I have the
working mold I can make them easy enough).

My biggest concern was if their needs to be some sort of gearing to aid in
the pull back of the string.  As this is will be my first attempt at
building
anything remotely resembling a crossbow, I would appreciate it if I could
tap you on the shoulder for input when I get stuck.

Petruccio

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