Aquatic & Hydraulic Ingenuity - Archimedes' Screw

This machine for lifting water without excessive human effort was very well known in the ancient world. It was described in Egypt by the Greek mathematician Archimedes 287-212 BC.
Leonardo drew several versions of this machine, suggesting variations and improvements. He considered the ratio between the inclination of the axis and the number of coils needed. The main improvement made by Leonardo resulted in more water being drawn up and with far less spillage. The water screw is still used today for irrigation and it forms the basis for many industrial pumps.