Patrick Bell (1799-1869) was a Scottish clergyman and inventor. He was a farmer's son from Mid Leoch, near Auchterhouse in Scotland. He invented his reaping machine in 1826 and publicly demonstrated it in 1828. It was the first practical mechanical reaper designed in Britain. The machine was mounted on two wheels and pushed by horses. The grain was cut and gathered together before the horses could trample it. Bell developed a number of machines some of which were exported to America where the idea was further developed. Bell's invention played a significant role in mechanising agriculture around the world. The modern combine harvester is based on the combination of patrick Bell's Reaper and Andrew Meikle's Threshing Machine.