CROSSBOW

A crossbow is well method of elastic ranged weapon in a similar principle to a bow, consisting of a bow-like assembly called a prod, mounted horizontally on the mainframe called a tiller, which is handheld in an exceedingly similar fashion to the stock of a protracted gun. It shoots arrow-like projectiles called bolts or quarrels. The medieval European crossbow was called by many other names including crossbow itself, most of which were derived from the word ballista, an Ancient Greek torsion siege engine similar in appearance

The crossbows differ from the bows in that the bow's draw must be maintained manually by the archer pulling the bowstring with fingers, arms and back muscles and holding the same shape in order to aim (which requires significant physical strength and stamina), while the crossbow uses the locking mechanism to hold the draw, limiting the exercise of the shooter to only pull the string into the lock and then release it.

Role of a Crossbow:

Crossbows played a significant role when the early crossbows in the world were invented in ancient China and caused a major shift in the role of projectile weapons. The traditional bow and arrow had long been a specialized weapon requiring considerable training, physical strength and expertise to operate with any degree of practical efficiency. In the East Asia and Medieval Europe wars.

A crossbow was the first ranged weapon to be simple, cheap and physically unpredictable enough to operate a large number of untrained conscripted soldiers, allowing virtually any nation to deploy a powerful crossbow force with little expense beyond the cost of the weapons themselves.

Construction of a Crossbow:

A crossbow is actually a bow mounted on an elongated frame (called a tiller or stock) with a built-in mechanism that holds the drawn bowstring, yet as a trigger mechanism that permits the string to be released.

• Chinese vertical trigger lock:

The nu crossbow is so-called because it spreads abroad an aura of rage. Its stock is just like the arm of a person, therefore it's called bi. That which hooks the bowstring is named ya, for indeed it's like teeth.

• European rolling nut lock:

Early European designs featured a transverse slot on the top surface of the frame in which the string was placed. To shoot this design, the vertical rod is pushed up through a hole in the bottom of the notch, forcing the string out of it. Usually, this rod is attached perpendicular to the rear-facing lever called the tickler. Later in the design, a rolled cylindrical pawl called a nut was used to retain the string. The has the perpendicular center slot for the bolt, and an intersecting axial slot for the string, along with the lower face or slot against which the internal trigger sits. They often also have some form of reinforcement of the internal sear or trigger face, usually of metal.

• Bow

The bows of Chinese crossbows were made of composite material from the start. On the other hand, European crossbows used wood for the bow. Composite bows are made from layers of different materials and appeared in the 13th century in Europe. These composite bows made of several layers are much stronger and more energy-efficient than simple wooden bows.

Mechanism of Crossbow:

The Chinese used winches for giant crossbows. Winches may are used for hand-held crossbows during the dynasty, but just one of them is thought. Wujing Zongyao refers to styles of crossbows using winch mechanisms, but it's not known whether these were hand-held crossbows or mounted crossbows.

During the medieval period, Chinese and European crossbows used stirrups. within the 13th century, European crossbows began to use winches, and from the 14th century onwards a range of spanning mechanisms like winch pulleys, cord pulleys, gaffles (such as gaffe levers, goat levers, and rarer internal lever mechanisms), cranes, and even screws.