Archimedes' screw (redirected from Archimedes's screw)

Archimedes' screw, a simple mechanical device believed to have been invented by Archimedes in the 3d cent. B.C. It consists of a cylinder inside of which a continuous screw, extending the length of the cylinder, forms a spiral chamber. By placing the lower end in water and revolving the screw, water is raised to the top. The principle is applied in machines used for drainage and irrigation, and also in some types of high-speed tools. It can also be applied for handling light, loose materials such as grain, sand, and ashes.

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Archimedean screw

 or Archimedes' screw

Machine for raising water, said to have been invented by Archimedes for removing water from the hold of a large ship. One form consists of a circular pipe enclosing a helix and inclined at an angle of about 45°, with its lower end dipped in the water; rotation of the device lifts the water in the pipe. Other forms consist of a helix revolving in a fixed cylinder or a helical tube wound around a shaft.

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Archimedes' screw [¦är·kə¦mēd‚ēz ′skrü]

(mechanical engineering)

A device for raising water by means of a rotating broad-threaded screw or spirally bent tube within an inclined hollow cylinder.