One of the most important works of Polish historical literature is "The Polish Architect" by Solski from 1690, which contains an overview of the state of mechanics and hydromechanics at that time, the theory and practice of tools and engines, and the author's own thoughts on the subject. Its value lies in the description of the construction and the effect of simple devices to reduce the weight of various lifting trees, rollers, pile drivers, winches, as well as in the description of water, horse and ox mills, windmills and sawmills. Among the machines described are the water-driven gates. Solski distinguished two types: simple gates and gates with gears. Kinematic diagrams of such gates and details of the drive are shown, technical data are described. The exact dimensions of the individual parts enable a kinematic analysis of all the gate mechanisms.