Frederick McKinley Jones (1893 – 1961) – Roof-mounted refrigeration for vehicle
Returning to Hallock, Minnesota, after World War I, Frederick McKinley Jones found work as a movie projectionist and a mechanic. Jones’ natural gift for machines and mechanics led him to invent the first sound synchronization device for motion pictures. His innovation made it possible for films to incorporate synchronized soundtracks, and it quickly revolutionized the movie industry. While sound synchronization was a great invention, Jones held no patent.
His first patent was for a ticket dispensing machine. Jones held more than 60 patents, but his most famous and significant invention was the refrigerated truck or, more specifically, the roof-mounted cooling system used on trucks. He was awarded the patent for it in 1940. During World War II, his invention played an important role in preserving food, supplies, and blood for the wounded. Jones’s other inventions include a control device for internal combustion engines, a temperature control system, and a rotary compressor.