MEIKLE, Andrew (1719 - 1811)

Click to enlarge

Scottish millwright and inventor of the threshing machine for removing the husks from grain.

During most of his life Meikle was a millwright at Houston Mill. In 1778 he constructed his first threshing machine, probably basing its design on a device patented in 1734 by Michael Menzies. He also devised a method for rapidly furling the sails of windmills to prevent damage from storms. Andrew Meikle designed and made the first successful threshing machine in 1786 and he began making threshing machines for sale in 1789. Other inventors improved the effectiveness of the device during the next few years.

variant spelling:
MEIKLE, Andrew

History

* 05.05.1719	Saltoun, Haddingtonshire (now East Lothian) Ecosse	born
1735	Ecosse	Millwright in Houston Mill, East Linton.
1751	Ecosse	Engaged as millwrights to the Board of Trustees for Manufactures.
1768		Patented, with Robert Mackell, a machine to dress grain.
14.03.1768		Patent No. 896 (with Robert Mackell) : Machine for dressing wheat, malt and other grain, and cleaning them from sand, dust and smut, 14 Mar 1768.
1772		Invented windmill "spring-sails" allowing sails to be better controlled.
1786		Designed and built the first successful threshing machine.
1788		Patented the drum threshing machine.
09.04.1788		Patent No. 1645: Machine, which may be worked by Cattle, Wind, Water or other Power, for the purpose of Separating Corn from the Straw.
1789		Produced threshing machines for sale.
† 27.11.1811	Houston Mill, près de Dunbar, East Lothian	died

Collections

		Early modern times, ca. 1500-1780
		Industrial Revolution, ca. 1780-1850

Images

Permanent links

DMG-Lib		https://www.dmg-lib.org/dmglib/handler?biogr=24504004
Europeana		http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/2020801/dmglib_handler_biogr_24504004.html

Follow us

Newsletter

MEIKLE, Andrew (1719 - 1811)