What rotating machine did Leonardo da Vinci design to pump water using spiral blades?

Leonardo da Vinci designed an Archimedes’ screw to pump water using spiral blades.

An Archimedes’ screw consists of a helical surface inside a tube or around a central shaft. As the screw rotates, water is carried upward along the spiral. Leonardo studied and drew versions of this ancient lifting machine while investigating hydraulics, canals, fountains, and water control.

The device was not invented by Leonardo. It is traditionally associated with Archimedes of Syracuse, who lived in the third century BCE, although the exact early history of the mechanism is debated. Leonardo’s importance lies in his detailed Renaissance analysis and adaptation of many mechanical and hydraulic systems.

The screw can move water without the high pressure required by some pumps, making it useful for drainage and irrigation. Its practical descendants remain in use today, including large screw pumps used in wastewater treatment and flood-control systems.