Leonardo da Vinci designed a screw jack to lift or move heavy loads such as a column.
A screw jack converts rotational motion into controlled linear motion. Turning the screw advances a threaded component, producing mechanical advantage and allowing a comparatively modest force to raise a heavy object. Leonardo’s mechanical studies included screw-based lifting devices suited to construction and workshop work.
The screw jack was not unique to Leonardo, and he should not be credited with inventing every form of the device. Earlier civilizations used screws and lifting mechanisms, while Renaissance engineers continued to refine them. Leonardo’s drawings are valuable because they show careful attention to mechanical force, support, and operation.
A screw jack differs from a screw pump. A pump moves water or another fluid, whereas a jack applies force to a solid load. That distinction helps separate this lifting design from Leonardo’s better-known water-raising machines.