Transportation
Truck-mounted mechanical refrigeration
The problem
Refrigeration units were too fragile and too heavy for a vehicle bouncing over mid-century roads.
The innovation
A compact, shock-resistant, removable refrigeration unit designed to be mounted on a truck body.
How it worked
Rugged mounting and a self-contained compressor unit let the system survive continuous vibration.
Why it mattered
Fresh food, and later blood and medicines, could travel long distances; wartime field hospitals used the units.
The legacy
The global cold chain. Thermo King remains a major refrigerated-transport manufacturer.
You use this today
Fresh produce out of season, and refrigerated vaccine delivery.
Sources
US Patent 2,475,841
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