The Mechanical Reaper

The Mechanical Reaper Before the late 1830s, farming was a strenuous and time consuming task. The land had to be broken up with a plow and then seeded. The plow, pulled by oxen or horses, had a sharp blade that cut into the earth and turned over the soil. The farmer had to keep the blade of the plow in the ground and had to be careful not to hit any large rocks, stumps or roots. Next, a harrow, a large rake-like object with rows of teeth, was pulled over the soil to break up the lumps and smooth out the ground. The farmer then sowed the seeds. Farmers used to use sickles, scythes or cradle scythes to cut the crop down once they had fully grown. This task was often the most tiresome and time consuming. However, by the late 1830s, a new piece of technology came about: the mechanical reaper. …show more content…
Cyrus’ father had extensively researched the mechanical reaper but had never perfected his design before he passed. McCormick patented an upgraded version of the mechanical reaper in 1834, but didn’t sell one until nearly six years later (IdeaFinder). He wasn’t discouraged. He just simply improved his product. Cyrus’ first reaper was a crude machine made out of cast iron. Both wheels had iron treads to cut the stalks of harvested crops. A cutting bar, a plate six feet in length, made sure the stalks didn’t slip. The reaper used triangle-shaped knives attached to a bar that slid back and forth in a groove in the guards. The knives slid freely in the