Dominant Design : How the Ferguson System Revolutionized Mechanized Agriculture

Abstract

This thesis examines the development of the three-point hitch system utilized on farm tractors, invented by Harry Ferguson of Ireland. Harry Ferguson partnered with Henry Ford to mass produce the farm tractor's first dominant design which prominently featured the Ferguson System, also called the three-point hitch. First introduced to farmers in 1939, the three-point hitch was the innovation that allowed farmers to upgrade from animal power to machine power. The Ferguson System revolutionized mechanized agriculture because it allowed farmers to increase productivity far beyond the capabilities of their traditional animal power.