in about 1809, Mellen Battle hired "a most ingenious and accomplished machinist, a Welshman", Evan Thomas, to aid in creating a machine for building wheels. In April of 1810 Battle was granted a patent for their invention, and in December 1810 was advertising the "American Wheelwright's Labor Saving Machine". This was reportedly a short-lived venture. Battle also designed and built a bizarre steamboat for use in shallow water: the boat was propelled by a pair of poles on either side that walked along the bottom and were driven by upright beams and cranks. The boat was a failure, making only one trip on the river. Battle would go on to obtain an 1829 patent for a steam engine, and there are unconfirmed reports that he built an early steam-engine powered car.