What type of machine did Leonardo da Vinci design to produce a continuous supply of thread?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a spinning machine to produce a continuous supply of thread.

Spinning converts fibers such as wool or flax into yarn. Leonardo’s textile-machine studies explored ways to mechanize that process, using coordinated movement to draw out fibers and twist them into a more uniform thread. The goal was to increase regularity and reduce the amount of repetitive hand labor.

Leonardo’s design should not be identified with the spinning jenny, which was invented in eighteenth-century Britain by James Hargreaves. Nor was it a loom: a loom weaves thread into fabric, while a spinning machine makes the thread itself.

His textile sketches demonstrate that Leonardo’s interests extended beyond spectacular flying machines and weapons. He also examined practical manufacturing systems, seeking mechanical solutions for workshops and production.