Sled type corn harvester

Two significant types of machine were developed to ease the burden of cutting cornstalks in the field, the "sled harvester" and the "corn binder". "Sled harvesters", were popular in the 1880's and were manufactured in quantity. They resembled small sleds with a knife extending from each side to cut the corn. It was drawn between the rows by one horse and two men stood on the platform and gathered armfuls of corn as it was cut. The cut corn was unloaded where stooks were to be built.

The "corn binder", which cut one row of corn with a reciprocating knife and tied the stalks into sheaves, developed in the late 1880's soon after twine tie knotters for grain binders had been perfected. The corn binder was drawn by a team of horses and a man rode the binder to drive the horses and regulate the header. The corn binder had gathering chains that

Corn binder

lifted lodged corn stalks, carried them back to the knife to be cut and on to the knotter to be tied in sheaves. The sheaves were dropped on the ground as they were tied. Elevators that would carry the sheaves to a wagon could be purchased as attachments for corn binders from the late 1800's but because of the extra power requirement were not popular until the development of successful farm tractors by the 1920's.