|
PROPELLING THROUGH HISTORY: The first evidence
we have of the screw propeller dates back to 950 BC, when the Egyptians used a
screw-like device for irrigation purposes. Archimedes
(284-212 BC) is credited with the invention of the first true screw: His screw
pump, the forerunner of the screw propeller, was created to pump out flooded ships
and to supply water to irrigation ditches. Screw
propulsion on boats did not occur until nearly 2000 years later, when Smith and
Ericcson acquired patents for screw propellers. While these devices have been
refined over the years, they are still responsible for most ship propulsion today. Of
course, propellers are also used on airplanes. However, aircraft propellers are
much thinner and longer than their nautical counterparts, and they rotate at much
higher speeds to create the thrust that powers the craft through the air. To
learn about the many aircraft exhibits at Battleship Cove, click here. | 
