Trebuchet
From Lostpedia
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A trebuchet was built and used by Locke and Boone in an attempt to break the glass on the hatch in ("Deus Ex Machina"). It failed to have any noticeable impact but split apart, wounding Locke's leg.
Locke said their trebuchet could deliver "a half ton of force."
Boone did not know how a trebuchet differed from a regular catapult, admitting he probably couldn't even spell it.
Locke and Boone's trebuchet is different from a regular one. Medieval trebuchets shoot things forward, theirs had a simple placement modification to swing down. Instead of flinging an object into the air, their trebuchet moved a sharp object downward.
Trivia
A trebuchet is a medieval siege weapon and was possibly invented in China. While superfically similar, a trebuchet is distinct from a catapult, which uses tension to fling a projectile; a trebuchet uses a counterweight. A catapult builds tension in the arm in order to fling a projectile when that tension is released; a trebuchet holds a counterweight in place and the release of the counterweight flings the projectile, with no tension in the arm.
Speculation
It is possible that this trebuchet is related to Mouse Trap, which appeared in Locke's flashback in the episode. As an employee at a toy store, Locke demonstrated a mastery of the game, which is probably meant to be a parallel for his knowledge of this creation.
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