What type of machine did Leonardo da Vinci design to spin textile fibers?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a spinning machine to spin textile fibers.

Leonardo studied textile machinery and sketched mechanisms intended to automate parts of thread production. Spinning transforms loose fibers such as wool or flax into continuous yarn by drawing them out and adding twist. His designs used rotating components and mechanical coordination to reduce the amount of manual work required from the operator.

These sketches belong to Leonardo's wider investigations of machines used in manufacturing. Renaissance textile production relied heavily on hand labor, so a machine that could make spinning faster or more consistent had major economic potential. Leonardo's drawings do not prove that a complete, commercially successful machine was built from them.

A spinning machine is not the same as a loom. A spinning device makes yarn from fibers, while a loom interlaces yarn to create fabric. Leonardo also studied winding, twisting, and other textile operations, which can cause modern readers to group several different machines under the single label “spinning machine.”