Thomas Savery was born around the year 1650 in Shilston, near Modbury, in the English county of Devon. Details about his early life are scarce, but it is known that he received education and training as a military engineer.

Savery's interests and talents appeared to extend beyond military applications, as he demonstrated a keen fascination with various mechanical devices and innovations. This is evidenced by the patents he obtained for two of his inventions - a device for polishing plate glass and a paddle-powered rowboat.[4]

These early patents suggest that Savery possessed a diverse skillset and an entrepreneurial spirit, exploring opportunities beyond his formal military engineering background. His willingness to pursue novel mechanical solutions, even in civilian domains, foreshadowed the groundbreaking work he would later become renowned for in the field of steam-powered engine

In 1698, Thomas Savery was granted patent N° 356 for a "Machinery for Raising Water, giving Motion to Mills, &c." The patent document, spanning 3½ pages, outlines the purpose of the invention as "A new machinery for raising water and occasioning motion to all sorts of mill work by the impellent force of fire, which will be great use and advantage for draining mines, serving towns with water, and for the working of all sorts of mills where they have not the benefit of water nor constant winds." However, it provides limited technical details about the specific workings of the patented device.

Notably, the patent lacked specific details on the device's structure>/strong> or operational processes, focusing instead on its purpose and advantages. By modern standards, such a patent application must be rejected. Contemporary patent claims are expected to provide a clear, concise description of the invention's essential elements, enabling a person skilled in the relevant field to understand and potentially reproduce the invention, thus fostering technological advancement.

The remainder of the patent document contains a series of standard legal provisions that were commonly included in patents of that era, though many may now seem overly wordy by today's standards. These clauses cover:

• The beneficiaries of the patent (Thomas Savery, his executors, administrators, and assigns)
• The rights conferred by the patent (to erect, use, teach, exercise, and put the invention into practice)
• The term of the patent (14 years)
• The geographical scope (the Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed)
• The prohibition on unauthorized use, imitation, or modification of the invention by any person or entity
• The authorities (justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs, etc.) empowered to enforce the patent and take action against infringers

The evolution of patent systems is evident in the contrast between Savery's patent and modern practices. Today, many of these standardized legal provisions are covered by patent laws, eliminating the need for their inclusion in individual patent documents. This shift reflects the ongoing refinement and standardization of patent requirements over time, aimed at enhancing clarity, efficiency, and legal protection for inventors and for the public.

Savery's patent, while groundbreaking for its time, serves as a fascinating example of how patent documentation and intellectual property protection have evolved over the centuries. It underscores the importance of clear, detailed technical descriptions in modern patent applications, ensuring that innovations are not only protected but also contribute to the broader advancement of technology and knowledge."

It is easy for any one that never saw the engine, after half an hour’s experience, to keep a constant stream running out the full bore of the sourcing pipe s; for, on the outside of the vessel P, you may see how the water goes out, as well as if the vessel P were transparent; for, as far as the steam continues within the vessel P, so far is the vessel P dry without, and so very hot, as scarce to endure the least touch of the hand; but as far as the water is, the said vessel P will be cold and wet, where any water has fallen on it; which cold and moisture vanishes as fast as the steam, in its descent, takes place of the water; but if you force all the water out, the steam, or a small part thereof, going through upper clack R, will rattle the clack, so as to give sufficient notice to pull the handle z of the regulator to you, which, at the same time, begins to force out the water from vessel P, without the least alteration of the stream. Only, sometimes, the stream of water will be somewhat stronger than before, if you pull the handle of the regulator z before any considerable quantity of steam be gone up the upper clack R; but it is much better to let none of the steam go off, for that is but losing so much strength, and is easily prevented, by pulling the regulator z some little time before the vessel P forcing is quite emptied. 

This being done, immediately turn the cock or a condensing pipe y of a cistern, x, on vessel P so that the water proceeding from cistern x, through the condensing pipe y, which is never open but when turned on vessel P; but when between them, is tight and stanch. I say, the water, falling on vessel P causes by its coolness the steam, which had such great force just before to its elastic power, to condense, and become a vacuum or empty space, so that the vessel P, is, by the external pressure of the atmosphere, or what is vulgarly called suction, immediately refilled, while vessel P is emptying; which being done, you push the handle of the regulator z from you, and throw the force on vessel P, pulling the condensing pipe y over p, causing the steam in that vessel to condense, so that it fills, while the other empties. The labour of turning these two parts of the engine, viz. the regulator z and water-cock, and attending the fire, being no more than what a boy’s strength can perform for a day together, and is as easily learned as their driving of a horse in a tub-gin; yet, after all, I would have men, and those, too, the most apprehensive, employed in working of the engine.

The ingenious reader will, probably, here object, that the steam being the cause of this motion and force, and that steam is but water rarefied, the boiler, l, must in some certain time be emptied, so as the work of the engine must stop to replenish the boiler, or endanger the burning out or melting the bottom of the boiler.

To answer which, please to observe the use of the small boiler, d, when it is thought fit by the person tending the engine to replenish the great boiler, which requires an hour and a half, or two hours’ time to the sinking one foot of water; then, I say, by turning the cock o  the small boiler d  you cut off all communication between the great force-pipe s and the small boiler d, by which means the small boiler d grows immediately hot, by throwing a little fire into b, and the water of which boils, and in a very little time it gains more strength than the great boiler l; for the force of the great boiler l being perpetually spending and going out, and the other winding up, or increasing, it is not long before the force in the small boiler d exceeds that in the great boiler l, so that the water in the small boiler d being depressed in the small boiler d by its own steam or vapour, must necessarily rise through a pipe h, opening the clack i, and so go through the pipe k into the great boiler l, running till the surface of the water in d is equal to the bottom of the pit, h; then steam and water going together, will, by a noise in the clack i, give sufficient assurance that the small boiler d has discharged and emptied itself into the great boiler l, to within eight inches of the bottom; and inasmuch as, from the top of the small boiler d to the bottom of its pipe h is contained about as much water as will replenish the great boiler l, one foot, so you may be certain the great boiler l is replenished one foot of course; then you open the cock i, and refill the great boiler d immediately; so that here is a constant motion without fear or danger of disorder, or decay, if you would, at any time, know if the great boiler l, be more than half exhausted, turn the small cock n whose pipe will deliver water, if the water be above the level of its bottom, which is half way down the boiler; if not, it will deliver steam. So, likewise, will the cock g show you if you have more or less than eight inches of water in the great boiler d, by which means nothing but a stupid and wilful neglect, or mischievous design, carried on for some hours, can any ways hurt the engine. 

If a master is suspicious of the design of a servant to do mischief, it is easily discovered by those gauge-pipes; for if he come when the engine is at work, and find the surface, c, of the water in the great boiler l, below the bottom of the gauge-pipe n, or the water in the great boiler d below the bottom of the cock g, such a servant deserves correction, though three hours after that, the working on would not damage or exhaust the boilers; as that, in a word, the clacks being in all water-works always found the better the longer they are used, and all the moving parts of our engine being of like nature, the furnace being made of Stourbridge, or Windsor brick, or fire-stone, I do not see it possible for the engine to decay in many years; for the clacks, boxes, and mitre-pipe, regulator, and cocks, are all of brass; and the vessels made of the best hammered copper, of sufficient thickness to sustain the force of the working the engine. In short, the engine is so naturally adapted to perform what is required, that even those of the most ordinary and meanest capacity may work it for some years without any injury, if not hired or employed by some base person on purpose to destroy it; for after the engine is once fixed, and at work, I may modestly affirm that the adventurer, or supervisor of the mine, will be freed from that perpetual charge, expense, and trouble of repairs, which all other engines ever yet employed in mines for the raising of water, are continually liable unto.