Puzzle 30: Thomas Savery

In 1698, Thomas Savery is invented the first commercially used steam powered device, a steam pump that used steam pressure operating directly on the water.

Inventors throughout the ages have toyed with using steam to create movement. One of the earliest recorded devices was the aeolipile, a simple steam turbine. The first recorded description comes from Vetruvius in the 1st century BCE. Instructions on how to build one were given by Hero of Alexandria in the 1st century CE.

These devices were more of a novelty than a functional machine, and it wasn't until 1698 that Thomas Savery made the first commercially viable device. These were followed by a steam engine created by Thomas Newcomen in 1712, which was then greatly improved by James Watt in 1776. Watt's engine played a major role in accelerating the Industrial Revolution.

Wikipedia: Steam Engine