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Should the word be "spilt" or "spilled"?
editIn the phrase "Collecting split grain from the field", should the word be "spilt" or "spilled"? J. R. Madden (talk) 16:41, 21 April 2009 (UTC)
- "Spilt" is the normal British English form, "spilled" the American one (see American and British English differences#Verb morphology). The article looks like BritEng to me, so I think correct it to "spilt". (Actually that could be my own Brit typo...) Richard New Forest (talk) 21:07, 21 April 2009 (UTC)
Although I think most of the sources are in American English, and if we are going to talk about McCormick et al. at length then a majority of the article will be about the US. Thus I would prefer American English. W Nowicki (talk)
THe Reaper :)
editThe Reaper was invented by Cyrus McCormick and a slave named Jo Anderson —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.63.66.132 (talk) 22:06, 29 March 2010 (UTC)
"Settling" the Controversy
editThe whole section about Hussey is a start, but misleading now. There were all sorts of lawsuits and this was only one. The issue was hardly "settled" by this one case. Need to mention, for example, the Manny case that had a somewhat notable lawyer named Abraham Lincoln involved (or not). The important role of the other McCormick brothers, and the slave noted above does have documentation. And of course the Deerings and link to International Harvester. Another pet peave is that Robert McCormick (1780–1846) did not seem to use a middle name. The "Hall" was his wife's maiden name which was used by some of his descendants. All will take time of course. W Nowicki (talk) 01:43, 31 December 2010 (UTC)
Birmingham reference
editI discovered this in a very old book in Birmingham library, called Birmingham Inventions or a like, I'll try and dig it out again. Old Bess (talk) 14:30, 29 April 2011 (UTC)
- Birmingham Inventors And Inventions, Richard B. Prosser, H.M. Patent Office (originally 1881) later published by S.R. Publishers 1970, ISBN 0-85409-578-0 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Old Bess (talk • contribs) 14:31, 29 April 2011 (UTC)
"harvesting grain and bananas."
Bananas? I think this is an unusual enough claim to warrant an explanation in the text. I can't picture a reaper working on banana trees, but... if it is false it should be cut, if it is true it should be explained or at least footnoted. 184.53.32.6 (talk) 17:01, 22 June 2016 (UTC) John
The real inventor
editHiram Moore was the original creator of the Mechanical Reaper, not McCormick http://www.kalamazooshow.com/Articles_html/KLHS_Articles_Grain_Harvester_page.html — Preceding unsigned comment added by Stefanrpone (talk • contribs) 19:11, 5 April 2018 (UTC)
How they work
editThis article is concerned entirely with the history of reapers. There is no explanation of how how mechanical reapers work.Bill (talk) 17:23, 2 November 2023 (UTC)