Description
TitleDescription, to make James Ten Eyck's patent reaping, cutting and gathering machine, is as follows
DescriptionBorn May 2, 1773 in North Branch, New Jersey, James Ten Eyck passed his days as a farmer in Somerset County. As a farmer, Ten Eyck understood the importance of farm machinery, which led Ten Eyck to innovate a farm reaping, cutting and gathering machine for patent and sale in 1825. According to Virginia S. Burnett, who wrote up a review of Ten Eyck’s reaper for the Journal of Rutgers University Library, “Ten Eyck’s reaper had a horizontal cylinder, with spiral knives cutting against straight edges. It was calculated to work by manual labor, or with a horse. Among the advantages of his machine Ten Eyck mentioned the facts that ‘one hand and a horse will cut and secure as much as three cradlers and three binders, in one day; the grain and seed thus gathered is easier and sooner thrashed; one man can do the work of six men in the thrashing; leaving the straw in the field, saves all the drawing of the manure; the bringing it to the barn, & the stowing of it away, may be done with the one sixth less labour than the usual way.’” (1945, JRUL 8(2): 72) In 1848, when Cyrus McCormick applied to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for an extension of his 1834 patent, it was refused on the basis that it was not new. In his letter to Philip Pusey, Esq., M.P.,C.H. McCormick admits that the Reel “had been used before,” – Both the specifications and drawings in the Patent Office, conclusively establish the fact that James Ten Eyck patented the reel or “revolving rack,” or “revolving frame” in 1825. However, Ten Eyck's reaping machine was not successful and its production soon failed. McCormick's reel proved more successful.
Genrebroadsides
LanguageEnglish
CollectionRutgers University Libraries Special Collections General Resources
Organization NameRutgers University. Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives.
Organization NameRutgers University. Libraries. Special Collections
RightsRutgers University owns the copyright in this work. You may make use of this resource, with proper attribution, for educational and other non-commercial uses only. Contact the Special Collections and University Archives of the Rutgers University Libraries to obtain permission for reproduction, publication, and commercial use.
