It is generally believed that the human powered thresher with a
revolving cylinder (pedal driven thresher) was invented by a young man
called Fukunaga Syoiti, who lived in Yamaguchi prefecture.
In fact, a number of other people had devised similar machines and
applied for patents on them before Fukunaga.
The various human powered threshers which were the subject of
patent applications in the Meiji period can be grouped into four types,
as follows;
I Comb threshers, using parts like the teeth of a comb
II Beat threshers, containing parts like mallets or sticks
III Rub threshers, where grain is forced between saw teeth
N Flip threshers, using a revolving cylinder with many projections.
There are two main arguments in this paper.
Firstly, the designs of the various human powered machines in the
patent applications and registations are examined, in order to distinguish
the merely fanciful from the really practical inventions. Evidence is
presented as to why the only machines which were eventually selected
and put to practical use all belonged to type N.
Secondly, concentrating on the development of the human powered
machines like the threshers, the essential processes which made the appearance
of the motive power machines possible will be made clear.
足踏み式回転脱穀機の発明 : 特許資料からみた成立前史
KH_021_1_003.pdf
(3.26MB)
