Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Evaporators – Commercial
Three tray, ice maker evaporator with low-side float, in tinned copper tube and brake formed copper sheet, cooling unit for small commercial cabinet refrigerator, similar to #022, Frigidaire, 1926.
Technical Significance:
See background notes on technological significance of early mechanical cooling units (evaporator), THOC-HVACR inventory item 011.This specimen is representative of the proliferation of models and sizes of low-side float operated evaporators of the period, largely by Kelvinator and Figidaire, as they attempted to stretch this ice making technology to its limit. Dinosaur like, costly, complicated and trouble prone by comparison with the evaporator technologies that would shortly follow, this genre would largely disappear from manufacture’s catalogues by the early 1930’s, although would be operational in the field until after WWII – requiring repair shops to rebuild an calibrate floats and needle seats.
To contrast the weight, size, seeming complexity, as well as materials and manufacturing costs with the technology reflected in inventory items 015 to 021 is instructive. The classic process of progressive simplification in technological innovation and change is well exemplified.
Industrial Significance:
With complex, demanding construction, the evaporator would make many demands on manufacturing and materials engineering in the early years of the 20th century.
