Frederick McKinley Jones

   Frederick McKinley Jones was one of the most prolific Black inventors ever. Frederick Jones patented more than sixty inventions, however, he is best known for inventing an automatic refrigeration system for long-haul trucks in 1935 (a roof-mounted cooling device). Jones was the first person to invent a practical, mechanical refrigeration system for trucks and railroad cars, which eliminated the risk of food spoilage during long-distance shipping trips. The system was, in turn, adapted to a variety of other common carriers, including ships. Frederick Jones was issued the patent on July 12, 1940 (#2,303,857).

Frederick Jones also invented a self-starting gas engine and a series of devices for movie projectors: adapting silent movie projectors for talking films, and developing box office equipment that delivered tickets and gave change.

Frederick Jones was born in in Covington, Kentucky near Cincinnati, Ohio on on May 17, 1893. He was a trained mechanic, a skill he learned doing military service in France during World War. His mastery of electronic devices was largely self-taught, through work experience and the inventing process.

Frederick McKinley Jones was granted more than 40 patents in the field of refrigeration. Frederick Jones' inspiration for the refrigeration unit was a conversation with a truck driver who had lost a shipment of chickens because the trip took too long and the truck's storage compartment overheated. Frederick Jones also developed an air-conditioning unit for military field hospitals and a refrigerator for military field kitchens. Frederick Jones received over 60 patents during his lifetime.

Frederick McKinley
Jones
1 #2,163,754
2 #D 132,182
3 #2,336,735
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5 #2,376,968
6 #2,417,253
7 #2,475,841
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10 #2,477,377
11 #2,504,841
12 #2,509,099
13 #D 159,209
14 #2,523,273
15 #2,526,874
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17 #2,581,956
18 #2,666,298
19 #2,696,086
20 #2,780,923
21 #2,850,001
22 #2,926,005		 6/27/1939 
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2/23/1960		 1 Ticket dispensing machine 
2 Design for air conditioning unit
3 Removable cooling units for compartments
4 Means for automatically stopping and starting gas engines
5 Two-cycle gas engine
6 Two-cycle gas engine
7 Automatic refrigeration system for long-haul trucks
8 Starter generator
9 Means operated by a starter generator for cooling a gas engine
10 Means for thermostatically operating gas engines
11 Rotary compressor
12 System for controlling operation of refrigeration units
13 Design for air conditioning unit
14 Engine actuated ventilating system
15 Apparatus for heating or cooling atmosphere within an enclosure
16 Prefabricated refrigerator construction
17 Refrigeration control device
18 Methods and means of defrosting a cold diffuser
19 Method and means for air conditioning
20 Method and means for preserving perishable foodstuffs in transit
21 Control device for internal combustion engine
22 Thermostat and temperature control system