Leonardo da Vinci designed a screw press that used a large threaded screw to apply pressure to grapes or other materials.
A screw press works by converting rotary motion into strong linear force. Turning the screw moves a pressing plate downward, compressing material placed below it. Leonardo studied and drew versions of this mechanism as part of his broader investigations into machines and manufacturing.
The principle was not invented by Leonardo; screw presses were known before his time and had long been used in processes such as olive-oil and wine production. His contribution was to analyze, improve, and document mechanical arrangements with exceptional visual detail.
This distinction matters because many devices called Leonardo inventions were really refinements or systematic studies of existing technologies. The screw press is a clear example of Leonardo’s engineering imagination being connected to older practical machinery.