1. The compressor constricts the refrigerant vapor, raising its pressure, and pushes it into the coils on the outside of the refrigerator.

2. When the hot gas in the coils meets the cooler air temperature of the kitchen, it becomes a liquid.

3. Now in liquid form at high pressure, the refrigerant cools down as it flows into the coils inside the freezer and the fridge.

4. The refrigerant absorbs the heat inside the fridge, cooling down the air.

5. Last, the refrigerant evaporates to a gas, and then flows back to the compressor, where the cycle starts all over.

 

People in cities are heavily dependent upon remote locations in order to obtain their food for daily consumption. How to get that food there without it spoiling was a problem.

 

…and then along came Jones

 

Frederick McKinley Jones was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 17, 1893. At an early age, Fred demonstrated a great interest in mechanical things, whether taking apart a toy, a watch or a kitchen appliance. Eventually he became interested in automobiles.

 

At the age of twelve, he began working sweeping up at a garage. He spent much of his time observing the mechanics, and that, along with an appetite for learning through reading developed within Fred an incredible base of knowledge about automobiles.

 

In 1912, at the age of 19, Jones moved to Hallock, Minnesota, where he worked as a mechanic.

 

On August 1, 1918 Jones enlisted in the 809 Pioneer Infantry of the United States Army and served in France during World War I. While serving, Jones recruited German prisoners of war and rewired his camp for electricity, telephone and telegraph service.

 

In 1919, Fred returned to Hallock.

 

Over the next few years Fred began tinkering with almost everything. When one of the doctors he worked for on occasion complained that he wished he did not have to wait for patient to come into his office for x-ray exams, Jones created a portable x-ray machine that could be taken to the patient. Unfortunately, like many of his early inventions, Jones never thought to apply for a patent for machine.

 

In 1927, Jones was faced with the problem of helping friend convert their silent movie theater into a “talkie” theater. Not only did he convert scrap metal into the parts necessary to deliver a soundtrack to the video, he also devised ways to stabilize and improve the picture quality. When Joe Numero, the head of Ultraphone Sound Systems heard about Fred’s devices, he invited Fred to come to Minneapolis for a job interview.

Despite the fact the company's receptionist reportedly told 38-year old Jones on arrival for the interview that "We don't have any jobs for a colored boy," Numero offered Jones a job as an electrical engineer.

 

Around 1935, Jones designed a portable air-cooling unit for trucks carrying perishable food. Before Jones' invention, the only way to keep food cool in trucks was to load them with ice.

 

In 1938 a golfing buddy of Numero's complained of problems his business was experiencing with heat-related loss of perishables during transport. To Numero's surprise, the friend later brought a truck to Ultraphone, challenging Numero and his engineers-one of whom was Fred Jones-to create a refrigerated truck. Later that year, Jones and Numero co-founded the U.S. Thermo Control Company of Minneapolis, later known as Thermo King.

 

Jones was given the task of developing a device that would allow large trucks to transport perishable products without spoiling. Jones set to work and his automatic refrigeration system, and transformed the shipping and grocery businesses.

 

This landmark invention ushered in the era of frozen foods, large supermarkets and the restaurant industry as we know it today. Refrigerated transport also made the delivery of fresh produce anywhere in the country a possibility, regardless of the season. The concept of continuous cooling of perishables is often referred to as the "Farm to Fork" cold chain.

 

In 1938, Numero founded a new venture: the U.S. Thermo Control Company (later to become Thermo King). Jones served as vice president of engineering. One year later, Jones filed for Thermo Control’s first patent: the Model A, the world’s first successful system for refrigerated transportation.

 

1939 - Around this time, Fred came up with a new idea – an automatic ticket-dispensing machine to be used at movie theaters. Fred applied for and received a patent for this device in June of 1939 and the patent rights were eventually sold to RCA.

 

The Model A. developed in 1939 was designed to be mounted onto the undersides of semi-trucks and to pass refrigerant tubing to their trailers. The Model A worked, but it was heavy and bulky.

 

The real breakthrough came with the Model C. The refrigeration unit was placed at the front top of the trailer where it remains to this day.

During World War II, Thermo King made Model Cs exclusively for the U.S. military. The military applied the invention to boats, planes, and trucks in order to transport temperature-sensitive drugs and blood plasma to soldiers in need.

 

The Model C became commercially available after World War II and immediately made an impact on the agricultural industry. Jones’ invention laid the groundwork for the modern supermarket.

 

1944 - Jones became the first African American to be elected into the American Society of Refrigeration Engineers.

 

 

1948 - Building on existing technology, Thermo King developed refrigerated box cars for use in rail transport.

 

1949 - Thermo King was a $3 million business.

​

During the 1950s he was a consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense and the Bureau of Standards.

 

1956 - Thermo King air conditioning units are installed in passenger buses.

 

1958 - Thermo King incorporated diesel engines into refrigerated units.

 

February 21, 1961 - Frederick McKinley Jones passed away.

 

During his life, Jones was awarded 61 patents. Forty were for refrigeration equipment, while others went for portable X-ray machines, sound equipment, and gasoline engines.