New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-11-18
Eeapinr Machines.
To ne ES,isr Of II. Seie.,.fe Am0ioiH.

To hs Editor Of TIE seiesi.fe dm0'oin.
On my arrival here, from Chicago, iouna
In The Scientific Amrioaa Of the 23i ul, quoted irom
The Niagara Med. statement that ths Reaper was
invented in Scotland twenty years so. and renvcnied
by Mr. Mccormick. Scotchman in the United Ssafes.
who introduced il 10 the Worlds Fair, with similar
claims IN relation to Hobbss Lock and the fscnt
Amcrca-tOSether with your contradiction Of thai safe
nent except tha. you do not deny the ayenon OF ~
Reaper, Is claimed IN Scotland "hinonSn, s 49,
properly saw bearing Scotch name. Mr. McCorn'ck
is nStve OF Virginia; and he renvented inc hsAfci'
il was original with him." &c
have also Observed in foreign papers, similar CLAIMS
that he Reaper was originally invented by Rev r@
rick Bell OF SEQ land one Of which was sent TO ths
country IN the year 1884, from which the A'aene.n
Reaper was probably copied IL IL SAID IN an sIhS'c
psbEshed in the "Journsl Of Agriculture ana the
Transactions Of the Highland and Agricultural soeSy.
81 sco,iano, hy Mr. Slight, Curator OF the sScioys
Models that AL he Respins Machines now used IN the
Union are based upon the same principle hich u the
ioodiHR fetlTe-thc GUrrEK-in Bells"
In answcr % an inquiry Of yoar over the sisna'ufe
If Geo h Fuller" Of the State OF New York. hnds
Litter in la;e number o. your paper bearing testimony
10 the importation Of the Scotch ReapnS Machine, in
the year 1854 Is cost S3i5 s0 and the hrst trial OF
it. working powers the following year made IN the pres
ence OF Rev Mr. Be the inventor and others I'm che
reitne Ci level field Of wheat Of from two 10 three
acres IN about as many lurs' with explanation Of
your annexed that O Husey Resp was psssieJ n
ls,El and NJ, Cormcks IN 1894
+.
BclI or any other inven IT. beg leave through your
widely cir uaf,d and vsuabe Journal % make the tod
lowing urhr explanations IN relation % this mater In
order lint your motto honor 10 whon honor Is dae
may betuly carried out
with reerd to the origin ct my Keeping Machine.
Hon +, nund Burke exc ommis Toner oi Pat ,nts IN
letter addressed 20 Sens. - DO1sls and shields oeSr-
ing date March g. lsiO. SAYS: wv ZEN BON OF theee
nnfents were granted the Patent OaiVe made no exam
nation upon the points OF originality and priority OF IN
yeniicn bu granted all patents applied Tor as ms'.er
OF course Therefore Is M certain evidence tnah %
cause al alleged inventor procured patent before avs
rva he was the first and original inventor II IN isct
was circum Of very hile weight IN us Daring
upon tie question Of priority between the psrues pc
sides the testimony II Mr. Mccormick pre- ened TO the
Board Of Extension clearly proved that he inventor snd
put operation hs machine IN leJl, two year oeofe
the date OF Husseys patent '-waen, TO. tlew was
gtain cut with my machlne than I'm MI BUS IN
1875 a. above sptci Again, the following Is from me
Report of the Committee on Patents o, the senate oil
the United States reported March 30 le52; Tnst tesL
tnony thereupon Tx, in compliance with the or
der of the Board and by the proof submitted on the
part of aid NJ Comick, appeared concusvely hat
be invented his machine, aud fret practically and pub
cly tested its operation IN the harvest 81 1881 : and
that from the exhibits referred to your COmmt e. Il
appear that las Iusseys) machine was first constructed
and opeI ated in 1873 see exhibit IL The evidence
here referred to the sworn statement OF Mr. Hus
sew him. elf as a witness in another case
Now while is that ct thetme OF the original in
venton OF my Reaper, and for many year, thereafter
did not know snd had no means OF knowing or hear OF
next and only remaining question is, rha Reapmg Ma
chine aid Mr.. Bell really invent and what reen-
btnce l. there between his machine and mne-whether
Bells was "he R'opng Machine instead OF as stuca
by you. McCormcks Reaper that gained triumph ~
tie Worlds FarF II 50, you have properly re
marked that this useful invention should have been
permitted to ENJOY the Rip Van Wnkle sleep IA tne
hlnd of is inventor until brought forward NJ the urcat
Exhibition Of all nations by an American, SEnghshnen
end Scotchmen osQM TO take shame TO thcmclvesr
Bat not quite sC for although IN Ial male on inc ilrn
of Mr. Wsison (ot Scotland, interested with Mr. BeLl
in the lust harvot with lusscys machine as m 0le aud
exhibited by Mr. Croskl, the premium was awarded IN
Mr. Bell, It remains yet 10 lie demonstrated that hIs
practically useful operating machine at ala mere
Trial made under favorable circumstances, being not
~ hcient test Of that fact any one acquainted win
reapng hy machinery must be aware OF Indeed, upon
this point the tact TINT Bells machine has Tor more IAN
twenty years been used in the hands OF the inventor Cor
his brother Is said clone and was not, az tle emu oil
that period deemed by himself worthy OF an exhibition
At the Worlds Fair, 20 near his own door-would seem
conclusive.
Finally in short the leading difference In the princi
pies Of Mr.. Bells machine and mine are, first Bolts
cuts with series Of shears some II inches In length
which, operate require all the accuracy and exact
ness OF m In the cutting edges Of shears used Tor Other
pulposes as generally understood, and which Is not
aitainsble in a Rcapng Machine. In my machine the
cutting done by the simplest "a well "a most effective
and durable o. all cutting edges Tor TedpiRg-he scHs
In Mr. Bell. machine the grainis gathered by reel on
amoylpg apron or eany,a, aerlgned 10 dssaase re-
swer the pupoee at all in lodged grain In mine. tho
grain is gathered by reel on immoyabls platform.
where it is collected into sheares, and then deposited at
the side OF the machine by man with q rake, riding
upon IT, Bells machine is propelled before the horses,
while mine il drawn behind them Thu i viii be seen
that my Reaper in its plan and principles OF opora10n
essentially and entirely different from that Of Mr. Boil
of Scotland
BY giving the foregoing place in your journal you
will trust be doing more than by your readers,
obige, very respectfully T. H. McOoRhick
Nae York Nov. T. 1880