The original McCormick reaper, 1831. From Encyclopedia Britannica.
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During the Industrial Revolution, many farmers looked for ways to revolutionize the way they cut and gathered ripe crops. Robert and Cyrus McCormick began looking for ways to mechanize the standard reaper to speed up the process. The final design was patented in 1837 using horses to cut crops. The McCormick Reaper also use a divider to separate standing and cut crops, a crank to turn a knife, and a reel to keep the knife moving. Although there were patent disputes with another patent creator, Obed Hussey, the mechanical reaper greatly improved farming techniques and decreased the need for manual laborers.
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