Various people around the world in ancient times had developed a technique to create ice particularly in hot climate! The clay pot cooler, or pot-in-pot refrigerator for example is a method of cooling and refrigeration that requires no electricity. For instance the Old Kingdom of Egypt, circa 2500BC had applied such method. It works by using an outer clay pot filled with wet sand and an inner clay pot – glazed in order to prevent liquid penetrating – where the food is stored. As the outer clay pot evaporates, the heat is drawn out of the inner pot which can cool any substance.
Clay pots have been used for many centuries across Africa for tasks including fetching water from the streams, cooking food, storing herbs and it may not come as a surprise to many people if it was utilized to cool off food and drinks. Research has traces as early as 400 BC, the process of making ice in the desert using clay built with heat-insulating materials long before electricity even existed!
Before African American Thomas Elkins came up with his groundbreaking invention in 1879, humans were all stuck with storing their food in a container surrounded by blocks of ice which was a short term cooling effect. But thanks to Elkins’ device, keeping food cold doesn’t have to mean melting ice and soggy food.
Jacob Perkins and Oliver Evans both made advances in the cooling methods using a liquid ammonia vapor-compression cycle and John Gorrie built on their successes by patenting his method for artificially creating ice in 1851, making this the first U.S. Patent for mechanical refrigeration.
Although the creating of ice may have existed for centuries according to report but, Gorrie appear to have presented it in a unique form or the first to acquire a patent. However, Thomas Elkin truly revolutionized the refrigerator with his invention of an insulated cabinet, which allowed cooling to last much longer than previous methods. His invention was a real breakthrough and allowed cooling methods to become viable. His insulated cabinet invention has remained utilized in houses and offices today, including the preservation of corpse.
Elkins’ invention utilizes metal cooling coils which become very cold and surround the perishable items placed inside the container. These coils cool down the container significantly lower than room temperature, allowing people to store their food cold for longer periods of time. This way, it eliminates the previous concerns of food getting spoilt. The invention was so groundbreaking that Elkins received a patent for it shortly after its invention in 1879.
In the 140 years since Elkins invented his device, there has been some changes — but one thing remains true: this invention is still being used today! While there have been some technological improvements over the years, His original design is still widely used in refrigerators around the world. That’s why we owe him a huge thank you for making lives easier with his incredible invention!
His inventive genius and determination to make keeping food cold easier and more convenient, is why it became possible to preserve food and corpse. Another remarkable inventor who will advance Elkins’ invention is African American John Stanard, the inventor of the Freezer and Oil Stove.
Elkins’ device utilizes metal cooling coils which cool down the container significantly lower than room temperature, effectively preventing melted ice from ruining perishable items and allowing people to keep their food chilled for longer periods of time.
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