Often spoken of in books and movies this is a popular torture device that leaves the victim totally destroyed. The victim was placed on the slightly elevated rack with a roller at one or both ends and the legs were fastoned to a fixed bar.  The ankles were fastened to one roller and the wrists to another.

The handle and ratchet are gradually turned stepwise to increase tension to the chains creating an excruciating pain. Eventually the victims joins were dislocated and separated.