c. 50 — In his “Naturalis historica” Gaius Plinius (23 – 79 AD) from Rome describes a reaping machine: a box on a chassis pushed by donkeys. On the front of the box there were iron teeth which broke off the ears of corn; the ears accumulated in the box — A copy of the machine, made using pictures from the ancient world, was fully functional! 1799 — The first verifiable patent for a reaping machine is granted to the English inventor Joseph Boyce 1826 — In Scotland the Revd Patrick Bell invents the reaping machine which works on the scissor principle still used today Bell–reaping machine 1826 1831 — In Steelte’s Tavern (Virginia, USA) blacksmith Cyrus Hall McCormick introduces the first corn reaper in the world under the name of the “Virginia Reaper” McCormick’s Virginia Reaper, USA around 1850 1835 — The first combine harvester is patented in the USA: Hiram Moore develops a machine that is capable of mowing, threshing and winnowing. Width of cut: 4.60 m 1841 — In England Alexander Dean builds the first threshing machine powered by steam 1855 — Production of the “Virginia Reaper” begins in England 1856 — The first corn reaper is imported into Germany from England 1857 — John F. Appleby from Wisconsin (USA) invents the twine binder (knotter) 1860 — The first combine harvesters with a cutting width of several metres come into use in the USA: they are drawn by up to 30 horses 1872 — The Deering company (Chicago, USA) builds the first reaper–binder 1886 onwards — The first trials using self–propelling combine harvesters in the USA McCormick self–propelling combine harvesters, around 1900 1889 — 500 combine harvesters (horse–drawn) are in use in California 1900 — The Fahr company builds the first German reaper for a harnessed team with a manual grain storage system 1911 — The Holt Company of Stockton uses the first combustion engines in combine harvesters — In Germany the International Harvester Company mbH in Neuss am Rhein begins mass producing grain reapers 1922 — Massey–Harris (USA) uses a combustion engine to power its combine harvester 1923 — In Germany August Claas invents the knotting hook with an upper lip for binding sheaves securely 1927–32 — 15 American combine harvesters are tested on German fields. Conclusion: the machines will have to be modified for use in Europe 1927 — First reaper–binder with power take–off drive made by Krupp reaper–binder, Krupp 1927 1931 — The Deutsche Industriewerke company in Berlin–Spandau construct the first combine harvester to suit conditions in Germany (FATH construction) 1935 — The Massey–Harris company (USA) builds the first self–propelling combine harvesters with combustion engines 1936 — The first reaper–thresher–binder (MDB) is brought onto the market by the Claas company from Germany. It is drawn by a tractor and designed specifically for Europe and its low–growing, very dense cereal crops Claas MDB with power take–off drive drawn by a tractor, around 1940 1951 — The Fahr company introduces the MD–1 – the first free cutting self–propelled harvester – onto the German market (driven by a diesel engine, cutting width 2.10 m) self–propelled harvester Fahr MD–1 prototype 1951 1960 — Lely–Dechentreiter introduces the first fold–away cutter bar (for driving on roads) — Other later information from the history of combine harvesters cannot be explicitly ascribed to any one manufacturer