The almost intuitive design is known by many names, including the paternoster (after the beaded prayer chain it resembles), Noria pump, liberation pump or chain-and-washer pump but all have the same pump principle. Evidence of this pump principle dates back as far as two thousand years, to feudal China <ref> Fraenkel, Peter, and Thake, Jeremy.
[http://www.washdoc.info/docsearch/title/118633 Water Lifting Devices, A handbook for users and choosers], 3rd ed. UK, Rugby: Intermediate Technology Publications Ltd, 2006.</ref>. The earliest report of the design in the west is cited <ref> Olsen, J. P. [http://www.mlahanas.de/Books/GreekRomanMechanicalWaterLiftingDevices.html Greek & Roman Mechanical Water-Lifting Devices: The History of a Technology]. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1984. </ref> as that illustrated by the Sienese early renaissance engineer, Tacolla, circa 1433 <ref> Tacolla, Mariano. ''De Ingeineis'', Liber Primus Leonis, Liber Secundis Draconis, Addenda. c. 1433, folio 80. </ref>, a copy of which is given in the figure to the right <ref>Weisbaden, Ludwig, ed. et al. [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/k/kmoddl/pdf/037_001.pdf Facsimile of De Ingeineis], Liber Primus Leonis, Liber Secundis Draconis, Addenda [online]. Germany: Satz Und Druck, 1984. [April 2009]</ref>. In the 1970 and 80s the basic design was developed adapted by numerous individuals, the most prominent of which were Alberts <ref>Alberts, J. H. [http://wwwR.ingentaconnect.com/content/itpub/wtl/2004/00000022/00000003/art00009 The rope-pump - an example van Tijen of technology transfer]. ''Waterlines''Demotech, January 2004, VolJ. 22 (3), 22-25.</ref>, Haemhouts <ref>Sandiford, Peter, et al. [http://www.washdoc.info/docsearch/title/116194 The Nicaraguan Rope-pump]. ''Waterlines'', January 1993, Vol. 11 (3).</ref> <ref> Lammerink, M.P. et al. [http://www.ropepumps.org/English/IRC-1995-Evaluation.pdf EVALUATION REPORT NICARAGUAN EXPERIENCES WITH ROPE PUMP] The Netherlands: IRC, 1995. </ref> and R. Lambert <ref>Lambert, R. A. [http://www.washdoc.info/docsearch/title/110481 How to make a rope-and-washer pump]. London: Intermediate Technology Design Group, 1990.</ref>. and Thorpe. They applied the simple design as a tool aimed at economic and social development. They took advantage of low cost and versatile modern plastics to produce the modern rope-pump design.They applied this pump as a homemade, low lift pump. However the early models did not really take off and a successful scaling up of the Rope pump only started in 1988 in Nicaragua where the pump was technically improved by Van Hemert of the organization SNV and Alberts of Bombas de mecate. They made it into a compact metal model fit for commercial sales, produced and sold by local private companies. V. Hemert and Alberts <ref>Alberts, J. H. [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/itpub/wtl/2004/00000022/00000003/art00009 The rope-pump - an example of technology transfer]. ''Waterlines'', January 2004, Vol. 22 (3), 22-25.</ref> Holtslag
[[Image:An illustration of the basic rope-pump design in the west circa 1433.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Rope pump| Rope Pump]] first illustrated in the west circa 1433 <ref>Weisbaden, Ludwig, ed. et al. [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/k/kmoddl/pdf/037_001.pdf Facsimile of De Ingeineis], Liber Primus Leonis, Liber Secundis Draconis, Addenda [online]. Germany: Satz Und Druck, 1984. [April 2009]</ref>]]