Who invented the water frame?

Who invented the water frame? Richard Arkwright invented the water frame.

Arkwright developed and patented the spinning frame in 1769; after it was adapted to water-wheel power, it became known as the water frame. The machine used rollers to draw out cotton fibers before twisting them into yarn, producing a strong thread suitable for warp in woven cloth.

The water frame could operate many spindles at once and reduced the need for individual hand spinners. Arkwright first used horse power at an early factory, then installed water-powered machinery at Cromford in Derbyshire in 1771. The Cromford mill became a landmark in the growth of the modern factory system.

Arkwright’s role has sometimes been simplified because the design drew on earlier work, including a machine associated with Thomas Highs and clockmaker John Kay. Nevertheless, Arkwright is the canonical answer because he developed, patented, organized, and industrialized the technology. Samuel Crompton later combined features of the water frame and spinning jenny to create the spinning mule.