Stocks

A floor is a mostly wooden fetters with which in earlier times (especially in the Middle Ages ) prisoners were prevented from escaping. Another name for the floor is ankle block.

One common form consisting of two elongate wooden blocks, which have been superimposed on each other and provided on one side with a hinge and on the other side with a locking mechanism. The wood blocks were each semi-circular recesses, the accurate positions in the closed state over the other. Thus arose holes which enclosed the ankles shackled the person and which were so small that the feet could not be pulled. Instead of connecting the blocks of wood with hinges and lock together, these were sometimes bolted together.

With some sticks in addition, the hands could be tied, they possessed either by four holes or U-shaped iron clamps that are mounted on the upper block. The lower block has often been connected firmly to the ground.

To create the bondage of upper block was folded or removed upwards. The captivating to person had to sit on the floor and place the foot and possibly also the wrists in the appropriate semi-circular recesses. Thereafter, the upper block was placed on the bottom and is connected thereto. In the version with four holes, the ankles were closed in the two outer wrists in the two inner holes. This had a very uncomfortable seating position result: The upper body had to be bent far forward, the legs were spread apart.

The cane was widespread in the Middle Ages restraining prisoners in the dungeon. Furthermore, the stock of honor punishment was used. The or the "sitting in the floor" was convicted in the floor of the public tied presented; the floor thus took over the function of the pillory. In addition, the floor was used to prevent prisoners from to avoid the use of torture.

The captivation with wooden blocks offered to the Middle Ages, as this form of bondage was much easier to make than iron chains and cuffs. However, it is one of the most painful and most rigid bondage methods, since the bound person's freedom of movement is almost completely withdrawn. Today, the stock is no longer used in the prison, but he finds in the area of ​​BDSM application.