Innovative Tuesday: The Invention of the Refrigerated Truck

      Hello everybody and welcome back to another edition of Global History Hub! I'll be your host, Mr. Nations, your tour guide to this massive world we all call home! On today's edition of Innovative Tuesday, we'll be taking a look at the refrigerated truck, an overlooked invention that is taken for granted daily. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's dive straight into it! 

     Frederick McKinley Jones is the inventor of the first refrigeration unit. He also invented the first portable refrigeration unit. With his innovations, we were now able to move perishable produce across vast oceans and huge swathes of land. But how did it all begin? When did we realize we needed a portable refrigeration unit? We'll be discussing this further. 

     Jones gained his expertise through many different trades, beginning at a very young age. By the time he was fourteen, he already knew a lot about automobiles and was a naturally skilled mechanic. He continued to educate himself and read up on material that contributed towards his mechanical ability and innovative mind.

     Jones was a voracious learner, always looking for more material on electronics and mechanically powered machines. It wasn't until 1938 that he would invent the first portable air-cooling unit that was to be used on trucks carrying various perishable goods. He was granted a patent in 1940 for his mechanism and Joseph A. Numero decided to sell his cinema sound equipment firm to go into business with Jones. Within about a decade the business was bringing in millions of dollars after the introduction of refrigerated trucks. 

     This invention was especially popular during World War II. They were used to transport perishable goods across battlefields to hospitals and other such locations. Today, refrigerated trucks are mainly used to transfer produce to the grocery store. Jones passed away in Minneapolis in 1961 after a lengthy battle with cancer/

     Fun Facts:

• Jones was a forefather to many portable items we know today. He made a portable X-ray machine, audio/sound equipment, and motors.
• It is estimated Jones earned sixty-one patents in his lifetime. 
• Jones was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007.

     Frederick McKinley Jones: 

     

     Sources: https://atctruckrefrigeration.com/inventor-of-refrigeration-units/#:~:text=Frederick%20McKinley%20Jones%20is%20the,food%2C%20and%20other%20perishable%20goods.