Weight: centers of gravity and the tightrope-walker
Which support bears the load; the balancing of pyramidal bodies and an acrobat's poles
Leonardo turns to weight and equilibrium: of two supports set under or over a load, the one nearer the perpendicular of the body's natural center of gravity bears the greater share. He analyses the 'accidental center' of pyramidal bodies suspended crosswise, marking a diagram with a (natural center of gravity), b (accidental center of the whole) and c (center of length). A side note describes a tightrope-walker who shifts the lead weights at the ends of his poles to restore his balance, and the sheet carries many sketches of tapering bars balanced on supports, numbered 42 to 48.
On this page
Which support bears the greater load
Among the supports placed under or over a weight, the one nearer the perpendicular of the natural center of the weight's gravity is burdened with the greater load.
Centers of gravity of a pyramidal body (a, b, c)
For pyramidal bodies suspended crosswise, the pole of accidental heaviness lies nearer the center of the natural weight than the center of the length, the more the true center of gravity lies toward the base rather than the apex. In the figure a marks the natural center of gravity, b the accidental center of the whole, and c the center of the length.
The tightrope-walker balancing with weighted poles
The tightrope-walker who carries lead weights at the crosswise ends of his poles pushes or pulls them as needed to restore the excess weight of himself that at times projects beyond the rope.