Roberto E. Howard
See also: Arc
The arc is a Arme intended to launch arrow S. It is made up mainly of a part curves flexible which stores and restores energy as a Ressort, and of a cord which allows the binding of the arc (tension of the “spring”), then the transmission of the impulse to the arrow at the time of the relaxation.
A person who draws with the arc is an archer. This word formerly designated a combatant (generally with foot) whose arc was the principal weapon; famous the Bataille of Crécy (August 26th, 1346) illustrated the role of the English archers (or yeomen ) equipped with the long arc (longbow).
With the Japan, the arc long Yumi is named Daikyu and the short arc Hankyu . The Kyudo, “way of the arc”, indicates the Martial art devoted to the arc.
History
It is difficult to date the appearance of the arc or the arrow, because their wood breaks up rather quickly. The oldest found arrow date of -10800 (Stellmoor, Germany of North). Nevertheless, the small size of certain discovered points with Gravette, makes think that the arc exists since at least 20 000 years.
Many types of arcs were employed, as well for the war, as for hunting, the arcs shortest being more particularly intended for the archers with horse.
Some historical arcs:
- standard Asian (Mongolian arcs, Turkish, etc): traditional of hunting or war, recognizable arcs with the strong curve of the branches, and their small size. They are composite arcs made up of horn, wood and tendons
- standard Amerindian (drives out and war): recognizable arcs with their form of the type “flatbow”.
- standard African: to come
- the longbow
- the traditional arc or recurve (standard retained for the Olympic Games)
- the arc with pulleys or arc compound . The advantage of this last is to reduce the effort of maintenance of the bandaged arc, without to decrease the power of the weapon.
The " puissance" of an arc (actually the force necessary to maintain it armed for a traditional arc or the maximum force necessary to arm it for an arc with pulleys) is indicated on the branch of bottom in book-force. More precisely it is about a nominal force, which corresponds to the reaction of the arc for an armament with a lengthening-piece of 28 inches (71.12 cm). If the lengthening-piece of the archer is smaller the force of reaction will be smaller (as a nonlinear spring but). For example, an arc of 35 pounds will not have that a real reaction of 24 books if the archer with a lengthening-piece of 22 inches (these figures vary from a type of branches to the other). The power transmitted to the arrow will depend on the value of this force but also on the output of the branches and the distance of the period from acceleration: still the lengthening-piece of the archer.
The arc was modified with a developed power, to give for example the Arbalète or the Baliste S, then arcs surpuissants thanks to the use of Poulie S with eccentric axis.
Types of arcs
One can differentiate the arcs according to their forms, but also according to their historical or geographical appearance. One draws them as a droitier or a left-handed person, i.e. by holding the arc of the left hand or right-hand side, according to whether the directing eye is that of right-hand side or left.
Longbow
See also: long Arc English
The longbow (English: long arc ) is a right arc with only one curve, which can have a crenel and a floor of arrow. Traditionally best the " arcs of guerre" English and Welsh were manufactured with Italian yew. This one was as large as its Archer or yeomen . One drew then from the arrows out of wooden and one used no help with the aiming. It was made famous for the advantage which it could give to the English troops Guerre One hundred Year old. With bearing end, this arc was able to bore best the armor S of the time. It is told that the yeomen could draw three arrows before the first does not reach its Cible. While thus creating with a several cloud of arrows, the English sought to create panic. It was used until the First English revolution then replaced by the Mousquet S with Platine with wick. Although the firearms had the disadvantage to take a long time to charge, they brought a psychological advantage due to smoke and the noise and especially the great advantage of being able to be handled without drive.
Traditional arc or recurve (with S curve)
The arc with S curve, sometimes called recurve of the bent English word meaning. In French, one calls it also traditional arc, probably because it is the model more used currently, although there exists only since the Fifties in his current form. There exist not-dismountable models (cast solid), and dismountable models for hunting with floor of shooting or rest-arrow, which one can draw with or without sight. The model more the current is that used with the Olympic Games, which comprises elements improving the stability and the precision of the shooting.
Arc with pulleys or compound
The compound was developed in the United States for hunting for big game. The first patent was deposited in 1969 by Holless Wilbur Allen. The compounds are out of aluminum or composite materials. At the end of each branch a pulley is where pass from the cables. The advantage consists in the fact that, approximately with half of the armament, the force necessary decreases by 40% to 60%, even more, which makes it possible the archer to hold a long time with full armament without tiredness, while a traditional arc, once bandaged, must be released quickly, if not the arm of the archer tires, trembles and the precision of the shooting decreases. The cord accelerates the arrow after releasing it what gives him more force. Speed with releasing can reach 90m/s. the flight has very little parabola, which increases the precision of the shooting.
Accessories of the arc
1. the cord : the cord connects the two ends of each branch of the arc. It is component Arc. Nowadays, the cord consists of synthetic fibers which are:
- is Polyester under the denomination of Dacron a fiber which tends to lengthen
- is more known Polyamide under the name of Kevlar, a fiber not lengthening almost but very sensitive to wear
- or of the Polyéthylène high efficiency known under the name of Fast-Flight , an almost everlasting and very fast fiber
The cord is always covered with a wax protection against wear and to increase its speed in the air.
2. the rest-arrow : it is a small metal or plastic accessory fixed on the arc and on which the arrow is posed. When it leaves, the arrow slips on this support.
3. the button shepherd : or button spacer, plunger cushion, shepherd short prop; this accessory is used as shock absorber with the arrow when it is propelled. Indeed, the push exerted by the cord at the time to release it, combined with the inertia of the point of the arrow, cause a torsion of the arrow. Then the arrow leaves, while being twisted and consequently by running up against the arc. The button of Shepherd is thus used to deaden this deformation of the arrow so that when it leaves the arc, its flight is rectilinear.
4. the cliquor : the cliquor is used to draw each arrow with the same power. It is a metal blade fixed on the cheek of the arc under which one slips the arrow before posing it on the rest-arrow and to fix it on the cord. When the archer draws on the cord, at the moment when the arrow exceeds this blade, the blade falls down on the arc what causes small a click (from where its name), indicating to the archer that it is with the desired lengthening-piece. It can thus release its arrow. As the arc power depends on its tension, the archer is thus certain to draw with the same power. This improves the precision and is used on the arcs recurves .
5. the sight : the sight is a device being fixed on the arc, making it possible to give to the arc and consequently to the arrow, a desired direction. The sight has a mechanism of vertical and horizontal micrometric adjustment. Any electric system or electronics is proscribed there. In certain disciplines, the arcs with pulleys have the right to use a sight-magnifying glass, in order to see the target with more precision. One aims using the eyepiece which is fixed at the end of the sight.
6. the visette : the visette is the second point of aiming which the archer aligns with his sight. It is about a small tunnel which is inserted in the cord. It is prohibited for the traditional arcs.
7. stabilization : composed of mono or many tubed stems, out of aluminum or carbon (for the competition), it is used to balance the arc at the time to release it, and to absorb the vibrations to protect the material and the articulations from the archer. It there with the central cane, fixed at before in the direction of shooting, the side, shorter canes, fixed on a V-Bar at the base of the central cane, and which are on both sides of the arc, and of the short canes and other weights which one can put in top or bottom of the handle.
Mechanical systems of stripping of the compounds
Used in competition, only by the arcs with pulleys. This system allows, instead of drawing the cord with the fingers, to draw it with a “decochor”. There exist several types of décocheurs:- With the wrist (fixed around the wrist).
- With hand (the archer holds in the fist).
Accessories of the archer
1. the dragonne : cord being used to maintain the arc in the hand of the archer, after strips because the archer should not hold his arc but only exert one thorough on him.
2. the quiver : arrangement for the arrows. Often of form tubular and attached to the size or the back of the archer.
3. protects It arm : plastic or leather protection, related to the arm of arc (arm holding the arc), it protects the front armlever when, just after releasing it, the cord takes again its initial position.
4. the pallet : piece of leather or synthetic matter, protecting the fingers which hold the cord of the arc. The pallet is retained with the hand by a ring around the major one.
5. the glove : used in the place of a pallet, generally preferred by hunters and in natural shooting ( field ) (without sight).
6. the drill plate : to protect the chest from the friction of the cord at the time releasing it.
See too
- Shooting with the arc
- Arrow
- Yumi, Kyudo
- Crossbow
The arc in works of fiction
External bonds
- prehistoric arcs
- workshops of reconstitution and animation: Manufacture of an Arc in IF - Step by step
Nds-nl: Piel in boge Simple: Bow (weapon)
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