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Frederick McKinley Jones (May 17, 1893 – February 21, 1961) was an American inventor, entrepreneur, engineer, winner of the National Medal of Technology, and an inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame.[1] He innovated mobile refrigeration technology. Jones received 61 patents, including 40 for refrigeration technology,[2] and also revolutionized the cinema industry by creating a superior sound system for projectors at the time.[3] Jones co-founded Thermo King and also served as a sergeant in World War I.[1][4] Due to his contributions to refrigeration technology, Jones is called the "Father of Refrigerated Transportation",[3] and the "King of Cool"

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In 1912, Jones moved to Hallock, Minnesota, where he worked as a mechanic on a 50,000-acre (200 km2) farm.[10] The farm was owned by James J. Hill, who was also owner of the Great Northern Railroad. Jones' proximity to Hill and the railroad facilitated his education in electricity and steam locomotive engines.[9] Jones lived there for over 20 years and would later say in a newspaper article that Hallock was a place "where a man … [was] judged more on his character and ability than on the color of his skin."[7] He was locally known as "Casey" due to a remark by a railroad engineer he met while working at Hill Farm (see also Casey Jones).[11] Jones received his engineering license at age 20.[15] He later upgraded his license to the highest grade.[9]

Army service

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In the U.S. Army, Jones took part in World War I in an all-black unit until his mechanical skills were spotted, and he was promoted to sergeant working as an electrician and even teaching other soldiers.[7] Jones performed the wiring necessary to equip his camp with electricity, telegraph, and telephone services.[16]

Audiovisual work

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After military service in World War I, Jones returned to Hallock. He worked as a mechanic while learning about electronics. Jones built a transmitter for the town's first radio station.[17] He also invented a device to combine sound with motion pictures.[18] This attracted the attention of local entrepreneur Joseph A. Numero of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Numero owned a company that manufactured audio equipment called Ultraphone Sound Systems Inc. and was later renamed Cinema Supplies Inc.[18] He hired Jones in 1927 as an electrical engineer to improve the audio equipment made by his firm.[7] Jones worked on converting silent movie projectors into audiovisual projectors.[2] He also patented a ticket-dispensing machine for movie theaters.[18]

Refrigeration

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Around 1938, following a request by Numero, Jones began designing the Thermo Control Model A automatic truck refrigeration unit.[18] Jones designed the portable air-cooling unit for trucks carrying perishable food to prevent spoilage.[11][14] The Model A refrigeration equipment was attached to undercarriages of trucks. Chilled air was transported to the inside of the trailer via refrigerant tubing.[17] Because Model A was too heavy, Jones later developed the Model B. The Model B was smaller and lighter, but not durable. In 1941, Jones completed development of the Model C, which was mounted to the front of the truck. It was compact, light, and withstood road travel vibrations.[17][19] In 1939, Jones filed for a patent for the Model A and received a patent for it on July 12, 1949.[17][20] Numero sold his movie sound equipment business to RCA and formed a new company in partnership with Jones, the U.S. Thermo Control Company (later the Thermo King Corporation) which became a $3 million business by 1949.[17][18] Portable cooling units designed by Jones were especially important during World War II, preserving blood, medicine, and food for use at army hospitals and on open battlefields. Model C units were inially manufactured for military use, but following the war the units became available for commercial use as well.[17]

Other inventions

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Jones also developed a portable x-ray machine.[7][14][18] He also developed an early prototype of a snowmobile. It was called a "snow machine" that attached skis to the undercarriage of an airplane fuselage and attached a propeller, and a sound track synchroniser (later selling the patent to RCA).[7][18] An early radio service for local doctors were also counted among his inventions.[7]