The ice machines that you frequently use at your home or office or come across at restaurants have a fascinating history, where not one but two masterminds took charge of developing the device that helps you provide clean and fresh ice within a few minutes.
Do you want to learn about those geniuses, without them you would be unable to serve and drink chilled beverages at your party. Then, let the blog uncover their names.
John Gorrie
John Gorrie was an American physician who deserves a round of applause for coming up with this idea. He is usually credited for inventing the first mechanical refrigeration system, making him one of the brains behind the innovation.
What Led to The Invention?
In the middle of the 19th century, an American physician searched for ways to help cool the air for his patients suffering from yellow fever and other tropical diseases. According to the Florida Inventors Hall Of Fame, Gorrie’s invention began as a solution to cure Yellow Fever during a massive outbreak in Apalachicola in 1841.
In his hunt, he designed a machine where compression was used to cool the air. The creation attracted a US patent in 1851 for his ice-making machine, and then there was no turning back as his work was recognized for laying the foundation for modern refrigeration technology. Furthermore, it is also important to keep in mind that his machine was made to cool air, where the byproduct was ice, which assisted in providing healing to his patients.
Alexander Twining
The next person who deserves ice maker creation credits is none other than Alexander Twining. Twining played a significant role in the progress of ice-making technology.
What Led To The Development?
While Gorrie invented the ice maker for his patients, Twining, on the other hand, made it for commercial purposes. He identified that industries need ice-making machines more. Why? To keep perishable food items fresh, it was more cost-effective as well. This led to the development of the first refrigeration system for commercial reasons, where artificial ice was used and was built in 1856. In 1853, he was honoured with a U.S. patent for his work, and to this date, he is famous for introducing the first artificial method of producing ice in the commercial industry for everything to stay fresh.
Some Early Refrigeration Principles
Yes, Gorrie and Twining were the primary inventors, but you need to acknowledge that there were some early refrigeration principles as well.
Before these two pioneers came along to amaze people with the ice maker, there were some other experimenters as well, who provided crucial support to their work. These witty people were Oliver Evans and Jacob Perkins, who played a pivotal role in the theory and practical way of vapor compression. Hence, this all made it easier for Gorrie and Twining to move ahead with their inputs.
John Gorrie and Alexander Twining were the primary inventors of the ice maker, where Gorrie created it to treat his patients, while Twining invented it for commercial purposes. Individuals like Oliver Evans and Jacob Perkins paved the way for the inventors.
