Universal York

I recently wrote about the blossoming of York County inventors in the mid- nineteenth century.
Click here to read previous post on inventions.
Read the 1843 ad below to find out just how George Anstine’s threshing machine worked.

“IMPORTANT TO FARMERS!
The Revolving Threshing Machine, FOR THRESHING ALL KIND OF GRAIN AND HULLING CLOVERSEED, GEORGE ANSTINE, INVENTOR, AND, BY LETTERS PATENT FROM THE U. STATES, SOLE PROPRIETOR.
The undersigned invites the attention of farmers to the Threshing Machine of which the above is a representation. Letter A represents an upright moveable post, to be made of light wood, to be fixed in the barn floor. B is a square shaft made of oak wood, eight feet long and 12 inches thick. The wheel marked C is four feet high, with a rim of 4 inches, made of oak plank, and fixed on the shaft about 1 foot from the outer extremity. To this rim 8 beaters (D) made of oak, 3 inches by 4, and six feet long, closing round the shaft B near the point of its insertion in the upright post A. The Arm represented by E may be made of light wood to support the hook and coupler, with an aperture at the end to embrace the coupler. The coupler is represented by F and fastened to the shaft B by the gudgeon G with a screw bur at the end, or a washer and key. H is an oblong aperture or hole made lengthwise in the upright post, that the shaft and beaters may be accommodated when in operation to the quantity of straw upon the floor. I is a leader for the horse.
This machine is cheap, simple, durable, performs it work speedily and thoroughly, and required but one horse and the attendance of one hand. It renders the straw soft, which no other machine can do; and one horse and one hand can thresh 100 sheaves of grain in one hour. It also hulls Cloverseed and Corn very fast. The undersigned has given it a full and fair trial; and can without risk assure all who may be disposed to purchase, that they cannot fail to be entirely satisfied with its performance.
He will dispose of rights for townships and counties, and also single rights.
The cost will be from 18 to 20 dollars.
GEORGE ANSTINE,
Lower Windsor township, York county, about 3 miles south west of Margaretta Furnace.
May 9, 1843” York Gazette
(Looking at a present day map, if you take Prayer Mission Road south from Margaretta Furnace and then Craley Road west, after three miles you will end up at Bittersville, the site of the former Anstine’s Mill. Margaretta Furnace must have been a better-known landmark in 1843 than Anstine’s Mill.)
Click here to read about a later York County inventor.
Click here to read about the common interest of a York County court stenographer and inventor Thomas Edison.
Click here to read about George Dowdel’s bedbug-proof bedstead.
Hanover man tried to invent fire alarm.