Bell 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 12 vane reel to pull the crop over the cutting knife, that was made from triangular reciprocating blades over fixed triangular blades. A canvas conveyor moved the grain and stalks to the side in a windrow. This machine was pushed by livestock and ran on 2 wheels. Bell never sought a patent for his reaping machine. Being a man of God, he believed his invention should benefit all mankind. Therefore, he never made any financial gain from its success throughout the world. On May 3, 1831, a patent was issued in the
United States to
William Manning for the reaper of essentially the same design. On December 31, 1833, a similar cutter patent was issued to
Obed Hussey. A vibrating cutter was patented by
Cyrus McCormick on June 21, 1834. McCormick with his brothers mass-produced the machines and developed what became the
International Harvester Company. ==References==