<title tag> Used Combine Harvesters: History of the Combine Harvester

<title> History of the Combine Harvester

<subhead> Did you know that if you use a combine harvester, or are considering buying a used combine harvester, you are using a piece of machinery which was pivotal in changing the face of agriculture as we know it today. The invention of the combine harvester is the concluding part of the mechanisation process which had begun in 1785. Why not have a little look below to see what part of agricultural history the used combine harvester you are considering buying, is attached to.

A combine harvester is a machine that harvests, threshes, and cleans grain plants to produce seed or grain and was invented in 1882. Previous to this a threshing machine had been used.

Harvesting grain had always been a fine art, which required the farmer to have good organisational capabilities and an ability to understand when the weather best permitted the harvest to be undertaken. A mistake in any part of the harvesting could result in the loss of grain. Before the beginning of the 20^th century manual workers were employed to help with the harvest. They bound the cut stalks together into sheaves. The threshing and winnowing was then done in the barn during the winter. This work was highly time-consuming and required a great deal of manpower. The step to the introduction of the combine harvester took place in 1785 with the change of threshing into a permanent rotational movement. In 1831 the first reaper was invented. However, it was Hugh Mckay, an Australian farmer who first invented a machine which integrated all parts of the harvesting and ensured less grain loss. This machine was the combine harvester.

The first combine harvesters were horse-drawn and then they progressed to being tractor drawn. The internal combustion engines were used for the first time in 1911. The rotary design of the 1970’s further advanced the self-propelled engine combine harvesters which we know today.

At JR Firby we have a wide range of used combine harvesters available for hire or purchase purposes. Many of our older combines from the 1970’s have actually provoked an international interest and we have exported them far and wide from EU countries to places such as Pakistan. If you are interested in purchasing a used combine harvester then please contact us on 01653 628614.