Leonardo da Vinci designed a screw pump for pumping water with a rotating screw.
A screw pump moves liquid along the axis of a rotating helical surface. As the screw turns, water is carried through the spaces between the screw and its surrounding casing. Leonardo studied this principle in his hydraulic engineering work and adapted screw mechanisms for lifting and transporting water.
The underlying idea was not entirely new. Ancient water-raising devices, especially the Archimedes’ screw, had already used a spiral surface to elevate water. Leonardo’s designs are important because they show his systematic effort to improve hydraulic machinery and apply mechanical principles to canals, irrigation, and drainage.
A screw pump should not be confused with a water wheel. A water wheel is driven by moving water and can provide mechanical power; a screw pump is a machine that uses rotation to move water. Leonardo explored both kinds of mechanism as part of his broader studies of fluids and machines.