John Barber

British inventor

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Last updated

June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

John Barber, an inventor from England, patented a design in 1791 that approximated a self-contained gas-turbine engine. His design featured separate reciprocating compressors that directed air through a fuel-fired combustion chamber. The resulting hot jet was intended to drive an impulse wheel, powering both the compressor and an external load. Although no working model was built, Barber's sketches incorporated the essential components of modern gas-turbine engines, despite the limitations of available technology at the time.1

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gas-turbine engine
Origins
…a system was issued to John Barber of England in 1791. Barber’s design called for separate reciprocating compressors whose output air was directed through a fuel-fired combustion chamber. The hot jet was then played through nozzles onto an impulse wheel. The power produced was to be sufficient to drive both…
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…a system was issued to John Barber of England in 1791. Barber’s design called for separate reciprocating compressors whose output air was directed through a fuel-fired combustion chamber. The hot jet was then played through nozzles onto an impulse wheel. The power produced was to be sufficient to drive both…
Read More