mick in 1885:

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES

_"REMONSTRANCE"_

"Of the Citizens of New York against the renewal of Letters Patent
granted to Cyrus H. McCormick, June 21, 1834, for improvements in the
Reaping Machine.

"Among the early reaper inventors of this country, Mr. Obed Hussey, now
of Baltimore, stood for many years deservedly the most prominent, and he
has doubtless by his genius and indefatigable exertions (although in a
modest way) contributed more to the advancement of this invention than
any other man. He first tested his machine in 1833, and took out a
patent for it the 31st of December of that year.

"He first constructed his machine with a reel to gather the grain up to
the cutters, and throw it upon the platform; but on trial, with his
cutter, he thought it unnecessary and only an incumbrance, and,
therefore, threw it aside and has never used it since. The main
frame-work containing the gearing was suspended on two wheels about
three feet four inches in diameter. The platform was attached to the
rear of this frame, and extended out one side of it say six feet. The
team was attached to the front end of the frame and traveled at the side
of the standing grain as in Randall's machine. The cutting apparatus was
pretty much the same as now used in Hussey's machine. The knife is
constructed of steel plates, riveted to a flat bar of iron. These plates
are three inches broad at the end where they are riveted to the bar, and
four and a half inches long, projecting in front, and tapering nearly to
a point, forming what is described as a saw with very coarse teeth,
which are sharp on both edges. This cutter is supported on what he terms
guards, which are attached to the front edge of the platform or
cutter-bar (as termed by Hussey), one every three inches the whole width
of the machine, projecting horizontally in front about six or eight
inches. These guards have long slots through them horizontally through
which the cutter vibrates, and thus form a support for the grain whilst
it is cut, and protect the cutter from liability to injury from large
stones and other obstructions. The cutter is attached by means of a
pitman rod to a crank, which is put in motion by gearing connecting with
one or both of the ground wheels as may be desired, according to
circumstances, which gives to the cutter as the machine advances, a
quick vibrating motion; and each point of the cutter vibrates from the
centre of one gu