The reaper-binder, or binder, is a farm implement that improved upon the simple reaper. The binder was invented in 1872 by Charles Baxter Withington, a jeweler from Janesville, Wisconsin. In addition to cutting the small-grain crop, a binder also ´binds´ the stems into bundles or sheaves. These sheaves are usually then ´shocked´ into A-shaped conical stooks, resembling small tipis, to allow the grain to dry for several days before being picked up and threshed.
Withington´s original binder used wire to tie the bundles. There were problems with using wire and it was not long before William Deering invented a binder that successfully used twine and a knotter (invented in 1858 by John Appleby).
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