Frederick M. Jones

1892 ~ 1961

Inventor

Frederick M. Jones held more than 60 patents in a variety of fields, but refrigeration was his specialization.  In 1935, he invented the first automatic refrigeration system for long haul trucks.  Later, the system was adapted to a variety of other carriers, including ships and railway cars.  His invention eliminated the problem of food spoilage and changed American's eating habits.  In addition, Jones developed an air-conditioning unit for military field hospitals, a portable x-ray machine, and a refrigerator for military field kitchens.

Born in Ohio, Jones served in France during World War I.  After the war, he worked as a garage mechanic and, from the knowledge gained in this early experience, developed a self starting gasoline motor.  In the late 1920's, Jones designed a series of devices for the growing movie industry, adapting silent movie projectors to accommodate talking films, and developing the box office equipment that delivers tickets and spills out change.