pulley: Quick Facts

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Sep. 16, 2026

Photos and Videos

Illustration of two block and tackle pulley systems, each using multiple pulleys and ropes to lift a weighted box, showing how force is applied to raise the load more easily.

A diagram displays six types of simple machines with labeled illustrations: inclined plane, wedge, screw, lever, wheel and axle, and pulley, each shown with real-world examples like ramps, axes, screws, seesaws, door handles, and pulleys lifting objects.

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Topics

block and tackle machine simple machine screw pendulum wheel and axle Wheel lever inclined plane wedge particle accelerator clock lubrication

Key People

Sir Marc Isambard Brunel

Sir Marc Isambard Brunel

French-born engineer and inventor