Fast Facts About Black Inventors
With all of the comforts of modern housing and construction, it is easy to forget that, about a century ago, most buildings had no form of climate control. That means that nearly everyone was exposed to the high heat and humidity of summers, and they only had fireplaces and coal heaters to protect them from the ravages of winter.
One of the greatest inventions of the industrial age is temperature and humidity regulation, but it didn’t happen overnight. The development of modern heating and cooling systems took place over several decades and required the input of hundreds of intelligent people. In honor of Black History Month, local HVAC professionals look back at the contributions of African American inventors to their industry. Here is a quick look at three black inventors to whom we owe our gratitude for comfort.
Industrial-Scale Temperature Control by David Crosthwait
David Crosthwait was born in Nashville in 1898. Shortly after his birth, his family relocated to Kansas City. In 1913, he earned his BS from Purdue University and continued his master’s program. In 1920 he was awarded his master’s degree in engineering, and he quickly got to work revolutionizing the field of heating and cooling.
Crosthwait was an expert in steam heating and temperature control. He was awarded 39 US patents on devices like vacuum pumps, thermostats, and boiler designs. An additional 80 international patents are attributed to him. Specializing in large-scale temperature control, he designed heating systems for the Rockefeller Center and the Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Modern Heating Concepts from Alice Parker
Up until 1919, the idea of heating with natural gas wasn’t in the minds of inventors who were feverishly working to develop climate control machinery. Before this, people were heating their homes with coal and wood. This changed when Alice Parker was awarded a patent for a gas furnace system that utilized heat exchangers, ductwork, and zone control.
Parker’s invention had numerous safety issues, so it was never directly implemented. However, it inspired other engineering firms to work out the problems so that safety could be the standard of natural gas heating. Her patent would inspire engineers who specialized in inefficiency to develop zone-controlled heating that allowed for more precise control of the temperature and saved energy.
Lighting and Communications Strides from Lewis Latimer
Born to escaped enslaved people in Massachusetts, Lewis Latimer had the humblest of beginnings. The Dred Scott Decision broke up his family, and he was forced to attend farm school. At age 15, he joined the Union Navy and received an honorable discharge in 1865. His talents as a draftsman were noticed, and he was employed to make patent drawings, eventually helping Alexander Graham Bell draw the draft for the telephone.
After working with Thomas Edison on the development of light bulbs, he was awarded a patent in the field of HVAC for an apparatus to cool and disinfect rooms. The idea was similar to a swamp cooler and used water evaporation to cool an area. Alternatively, the absorptive membrane could also disburse disinfecting chemicals in hospital rooms.
About The Meridian Company
The Meridian Company is the local one-stop-shop for heating and cooling. Customers always know what to expect with firm price quotes and satisfaction-guaranteed service. Call today for HVAC service in Lansing, MI.
