Andrew Meikle (1719- 27 November1811) was an early mechanical engineer credited with, in about 1786, inventing (though some say he only improved on an earlier design) the threshing machine (used for removing the outer husks from grains of wheat, etc; occasionally also known as a 'thrashing machine'), regarded as one of the key developments of the British Agricultural Revolution in the late 18th century.
Earlier (c.1772), he also invented windmill 'spring sails', which replaced the simple canvas designs previously used with sails made from a series of shutters that could be operated by levers, allowing windmill sails to be quickly and safely controlled in the event of a storm.
The thrashing machine, or, in modern spelling, threshing machine, was a machine invented by Scottish mechanical engineer AndrewMeikle for use in agriculture.
Meikle and others have progressively introduced a variety of improvements, all tending to simplify the labor, and to augment the quantity of the work performed.
When first erected, though the grain was equally well separated from the straw, yet as the whole of the straw, chaff, and grain, was indiscriminately thrown into a confused heap, the work could only with propriety be considered as half executed.
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