The Da Vinci Model

The Da Vinci Model was one of many inventions sketched by Leonardo Da Vinci in his various notebooks. A life-size model of the Model was not constructed until today, by contempory enthusiasts with the necessary materials. Da Vinci designed his catapult to be able to launch projectiles over great distances with great speed. But it did not have a usual trajectory such as that of the trebuchet and mangonel. The Da Vinci Model was not made to launch projectiles low and fast, or high and powerful. Because it was loaded by winding the crank, one person can launch the Da Vinci Model alone.

The Da Vinci model is loaded by turning a winding mechanism that turns a drum. That drum is connected to the catapult armature and pulls on the springs connected to the bow of the leaf spring, where tension builds up. When the winding mechanism is disengaged from the drum, the tension on the bowstrings is released, causing them to pull back to their original placement, and pulling the gear and armature with them.