American inventor of the ring spinning machine (1828), which by the 1860s had largely replaced Samuel Crompton's spinning mule in the world's textile mills because of its greater productivity and simplicity.

Little is known of Thorp's early life. His first patent, received at the age of 28 for a hand and water loom, demonstrated his ability. His use of a ring and traveler was entirely novel in controlling the thread twist in spinning. Thorp received little recognition during his life for his inventions and was first honoured by the National Association of Cotton Manufacturers in 1928.