|
|
McCormick, Cyrus Hall
| (1809-1884), U.S. mechanical engineer and industrialist, invented a successful reaping machine (patented 1834), opened a factory in Chicago (1847), and began to manufacture it on a large scale, worldwide. He first exhibited his reaper in 1832, featuring a divider, reel, straight reciprocating knife, fingers, platform, main wheel and gearing, and frontside draft traction. Other inventions include a side hill plow (1831) and a self-sharpening horizontal plow. He introduced field trials, guarantees and testimonials in advertising, deferred payments, and mass-production equipment. He was born Feb. 15, 1809, Rockbridge County, Virginia, and died May 13, 1884, Chicago. |
|
