Learn About Three Inventors Whose Work Still Influences the HVAC Industry Today
Technology is an interesting thing. Everything that engineers and inventors do today is built on the work of previous generations. Technology can only be advanced step by step. Rarely is something completely new. This is certainly true of the HVAC industry. In honor of Black History Month, this article will outline the life and contributions of three groundbreaking African American inventors to the heating and cooling industry.
Teacher and Engineer: David Crosthwait and His Legacy
With a lifetime of work in the heating and cooling industry and a teaching position at Purdue University, David Crosthwait is a person anyone could look up to. He worked steadily in the industry for 40 years before retiring and then teaching steam heating theory and control systems. As if these things were not enough, Mr. Crosthwait has the following accomplishments:
- An honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Purdue
- 39 United States patents
- 80 foreign patents
- The invention of differential vacuum pumps
- The invention of an improved boiler
- The invention of an improved thermostat
- Designing the heating system for Radio City Music Hall
Forget the Firewood: Alice H. Parker’s Gas Furnace
Cold New Jersey winters inspired Alice H. Parker to develop and patent a design for the first gas furnace with ductwork. She understood the problem of uneven heating that happens with a fireplace and the impractical nature of going out in the cold for fuel, aka firewood.
Her design was patented before both the Women’s Suffrage Movement and the Civil Rights Movement, which makes it revolutionary in and of itself. She was one of the first to consider using natural gas as a residential heating source, and using air ducts to distribute the heat is an innovative idea still used today.
Genius at Work: Lewis Latimer and His Many Inventions
Lewis Latimer had a hand in some of the most exciting technology breakthroughs of his day. The son of enslaved people who had escaped to the North, Latimer fought in the Civil War (lying about his age to enter at 16) and worked hard to support his family. A patent law office hired him as an errand or office boy. While there, he taught himself drawing and drafting as he watched the draftsman in the office. His employers recognized his promising talent, and he was promoted, going on to partner with some of the greatest minds of that time, including Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. He is known primarily for the following inventions:
- The Evaporative Air Conditioner: Latimer designed and invented an evaporative air conditioner which was a precursor to more modern air conditioners.
- The Carbon Filament Lightbulb: Latimer made the carbon filament in lightbulbs more durable and patented the manufacturing process for the carbon filament. This made lightbulbs longer-lasting and more affordable, allowing more people to use them.
- Railcar Bathroom: He held the patent for an improved design of railcar lavatories.
- The Telephone: Latimer was also involved with Alexander Graham Bell and his telephone design, helping to complete the patent.
About Mid Florida A/C
Mid-Florida A/C has more than 40 years of experience serving the community of DeBary, FL, and the surrounding areas. They offer extended warranties, personalized service, and prompt arrival. Call them today for AC or heating services in DeBary, FL.
