Description:
Corn shellers removed corn kernels from dried corn cobs. Wooden corn sheller with rotating wheel with handle and spokes, the hand-held sheller has an eight-spoke central wheel with a handle/crank extending from the mid-point of one of the turned spokes; and a cord extending around the wheel in a center groove connected to the iron and wooden tooth gear mechanism in the small wooden box below the wheel. It was operated by turning the crank with the right hand, and feeding the ears of corn into the hollow shelling triangle or hole with the left hand. The sheller needed to be secured to a post so that the side facing the view was positioned upward in a horizontal position. The maker and number of these produced is unknown. The design and mechanics for this tool were patented by Rufus Porter (1792-1884) of New Haven, Conn., on September 12, 1838, Patent Number 912. (see data file for an image of the patent) Several corn shellers were patented in the mid - late 19th century but Porter's appears to be the first. There are no markings on this object to connect it directly with Porter or another manufacturer. Porter showed early mechanical genius, along with talent in music and painting. His early activities ranged from playing the fife for military companies to the violin for dancing parties; teaching music and painting; house painting; and from 1818-1819, a trading voyage to the northwest and Hawaii. From 1818-1820, Porter traveled throughout NY, NJ, Maryland, and Virginia painting portraits, and in 1820 he made a camera-obscura with a lens and mirror with which he could draw a satisfactory portrait in fifteen minutes. His later painting revolved around his inventions, which included a revolving almanac, twin boat to be propelled by horse power, horse flat-boat in 1824, successful cord-making machine in 1825, a clock, steam carriage, portable horse-power, corn sheller, churn, washing machine, signal telegraph, fire alarm, life preserver, cheese press, etc. In 1840 he became editor of the "New York Mechanic", which he moved to Boston in 1840 and renamed it the "American Mechanic." He gave up editorial work because of his interest in electrotyping; during this period he devised a revolving rifle that he sold to Colonel Samuel Colt for $100. In 1845, he returned to NYC where he founded the "Scientific American", with the first issue on August 28, 1845; after six months, he went back to his inventions.
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