An old engraving of Bell’s reaping machine of 1826. It is from a Victorian book of the 1880s. Scottish inventor Patrick Bell (1799–1869) invented the reaping machine for speeding up the harvest. In 1828 his machine was used with success on his father's farm and others in the district. This reaping machine used a revolving reel to pull the crop over the cutting knife. A canvas conveyor moved the grain and stalks to the side in a windrow. This machine was pushed by livestock and ran on two wheels. Bell never patented for his reaper and never made any financial gain from its success.


An old engraving of Bell’s reaping machine of 1826. It is from a Victorian mechanical engineering book of the 1880s. Scottish inventor Patrick Bell (1799–1869) invented the reaping machine while working on his father's farm. His interest in mechanics led him to work on a horse powered mechanical reaper for speeding up the harvest. In 1828 his machine was used with success on his father's farm and others in the district. This reaping machine used a revolving reel to pull the crop over the cutting knife. A canvas conveyor moved the grain and stalks to the side in a windrow. This machine was pushed by livestock and ran on two wheels. Bell never sought a patent for his reaping machine and so never made any financial gain from its success throughout the world.


Size: 4961px × 2111px
Location: Scotland, UK
Photo credit: © M&N / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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