Complex sentence: His first invention, patented April 25,1871, was a portable grain cleaner and separator, prior to this, farmers had to haul their grain to town to have it cleaned and separated; now the cleaner and separator could be brought to the grain.
Split into simpler sentences: His first invention, patented April 25,1871, was a portable grain cleaner and separator. Prior to this, farmers had to haul their grain to town to have it cleaned and separated; now the cleaner and separator could be brought to the grain.