Brilliant Minds Neded: a Multi Barrel Illustration of 1511

[Rick]

I don't know if any of you watch the discovery channel; but this year there is a show on which they build functional weapons from Leonardo's War Machine designs .

Good stuff !!

[fearn]

Originally Posted by Rick

I don't know if any of you watch the discovery channel; but this year there is a show on which they build functional weapons from Leonardo's War Machine designs .

Good stuff !!

Hi Rick,

Yeah, I saw one of the episodes. Maybe we can get them to build this?

It would make slightly more sense as a fireworks device than a weapon, somehow, and there are details that don't make much sense.

Still, I can't help thinking of this one as "The Cannons of Enlightenment." Once you get it, grasshopper, you will be enlightened, or something.

Best,

F

[kahnjar1]

I have just come across this post and have this thought....If the thing was mounted horizontally on a central pivot, on for arguements sake a castle parapit, then it would be possible to load/reload the barrels pointing in your direction while at the same time firing those away from you, at a supposedly either scared or by now laughing enemy! A reasonably rapid rate of fire could probably be achieved, provided of course you did not forget which barrels were loaded and which were not!
This drawing appears in several books dealing with ancient weapons.
Regards Stuart

[fernando]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

I have just come across this post and have this thought....If the thing was mounted horizontally on a central pivot, on for arguements sake a castle parapit, then it would be possible to load/reload the barrels pointing in your direction while at the same time firing those away from you, at a supposedly either scared or by now laughing enemy! A reasonably rapid rate of fire could probably be achieved, provided of course you did not forget which barrels were loaded and which were not!
This drawing appears in several books dealing with ancient weapons.
Regards Stuart

While i was promenading this morning (here), i had a similar thaught.
You could have this device mounted in a strategic place, and position yourself away from it ... behind a wall, a pavise, or in a hole, depending in the context. The small barrels can be either all linked to each other by match cord, or each one withs its own connection; with a single or multiple extension reaching the 'gunner' spot, depenging on the system used, by its time depending where this 'battery' was placed.. When the enemy aproaches, you can either have a simultaneous or a one by one deflagration; either a bang bang with only psichologic efects (XIII-XIV century) or a serious shooting.
I guess instant reloading was not much of an issue, in those days; reloading would take ages. The thing would function like a one act battle openning ... like nowadays landmines are ambush starters.
Bla bla bla.
Fernando

[Jim McDougall]

I did see one of those episodes Rick....the one with the wagon type thing with slashing knife blades on the wheels etc. It was kind of a forerunner of the thrashing machines used by farmers (P.D. =pre John Deere).
It was completely fascinating, but like this, the thought of being around that thing in real life gave me the creeps.

Good note Fearn on the 'cannons of enlightenment' !

Good observations by Stu and Fernando on the possibilities here, and frankly, very 'enlightening' to me as the whole concept of this thing as an actual working device was frightening, if not perplexing. I am no inventor, nor engineer, and trust me, trying to keep up with the complexities of this huge rolling bookmobile I am in is well enought of a challenge!

The idea of 'preloaded' barrels does seem sound, and much in the same manner that charges were encapsulated, eventually becoming cartridges, this concept does seem somewhat well placed. Just to spin the unit around for ignition and reloading.

All best regards,
Jim

[Matchlock]

Excellent contributions, guys!

Thank you so far!

Fearn, I especially like the 'cannons of enlightenment'!

Now here are more illustrations from the same book, some curious and others either way ahead of their age or somewhat bewildering.

Have fun,
Michael

[Matchlock]

More 'riddles'.

[Pukka Bundook]

Hello Michael.

Brilliant minds needed,...and you include My name? This prooves I have you fooled!!

It is interesting this contrivance is viewed from above, or in other words, the only safe position anywhere close to it.
It could make a one-off land-mine so to speak, but is a bit complex for that!

To me, it appears to be the sort of thing a school-boy would doodle in the border of his excersise book, when his teacher was proving to be unusually boring..............I had many such fantastic devices in my books!...Stemming not from any brilliance of mind, but more from the mind being closed down, and the hand still 'running'!
That is about all I can say.

With very best wishes,

Richard.

[Pukka Bundook]

Michael,

Your other posts came up whilst I was answering the earlier one. I was not ignoring these later posts, and will be back later!...must go..

R.

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

Hello Michael.

Brilliant minds needed,...and you include My name? This prooves I have you fooled!!

It is interesting this contrivance is viewed from above, or in other words, the only safe position anywhere close to it.
It could make a one-off land-mine so to speak, but is a bit complex for that!

To me, it appears to be the sort of thing a school-boy would doodle in the border of his excersise book, when his teacher was proving to be unusually boring..............I had many such fantastic devices in my books!...Stemming not from any brilliance of mind, but more from the mind being closed down, and the hand still 'running'!
That is about all I can say.

With very best wishes,

Richard.

Hello Richard,

Though mostly on your side with all your profound thoughts and notes, in this case (a school-boy doodling around in ... his exercise book) I feel that Emanuel's explanation is more intriguing: the outcome is just far too brilliant in its basic understanding of technical features as well as in the wide range of its devices to possibly stem from a doodling simple mind.

Best,
Michael