The first artificial vacuum had been produced a few years earlier by Evangelista Torricelli .
The first artificial vacuum had been had inspired Guericke to design the world 's first vacuum pump , which consisted of a piston and cylinder with one - way flap valves .
The first artificial vacuum had been produced a few years earlier by Evangelista Torricelli , and had inspired Guericke to design the world 's first vacuum pump , which consisted of a piston and cylinder with one - way flap valves .