Open Question

Who deserves priority for inventing the marine screw propeller: Francis Pettit Smith, who patented his design on 31 May 1835, or John Ericsson, who filed an independent patent six weeks later?

Open Question

Francis Pettit Smith and John Ericsson began working on the marine screw propeller separately in Britain in 1835. Smith filed the first patent, on 31 May, while Ericsson, working independently, filed his own patent about six weeks later; each went on to build and demonstrate a working screw-propelled boat within the following two years.

What would resolve this The historical record itself credits both men as independent parallel inventors rather than settling one point of priority; a documented consensus on whose contribution founded the technology, first patent versus first proven working demonstration, does not exist.

OpenHistory of TechnologyWikipedia contributors, Propeller (Wikipedia)

Connections

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Marine Engineering

Source Propeller (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors

Sources

Propeller (Wikipedia)

Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationScrew propellers section

Quote, Screw propellers section

In 1835, two inventors in Britain, John Ericsson and Francis Pettit Smith, began working separately on the problem. Smith was first to take out a screw propeller patent on 31 May, while Ericsson, a Swedish engineer then working in Britain, filed his patent six weeks later.

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Who deserves priority for inventing the marine screw propeller: Francis Pettit Smith, who patented his design on 31 May 1835, or John Ericsson, who filed an independent patent six weeks later?

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