József Károly Hell (Slovak: Jozef Karol Hell, German: Josef/ph Karl Hell, Hungarian: Hell József Károly) (15 May 1713, Szélakna (Windschacht, Piarg, now Štiavnické Bane, Slovakia) – 11 March 1789, Selmecbánya (Schemnitz, now Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia)) was a Hungarian[1][2][unreliable source?]
mining engineer and inventor, who invented the water-pillar (water pump machine) in 1749 (first use 1753).
He also proposed construction of the tajchy reservoirs around Selmecbánya.
His first machine was able to pump water up from the depth of 212 meters.
Hell later built pumping machines in 1749-1768, which belonged to the best technology in this field worldwide.