General Information

Serial #

759391

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

All metal exterior: cabinet has silver/grey finish. Black rubber (?) sleeve over pipe connecting fuel ball housing to cabinet. Door has wooden panel on interior surface. CAUTION: cabinet may be lined with asbestos sheeting. Some areas of interior painted cream colour.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

102.0 cm

Width

62.0 cm

Height

71.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Domestic Technology

Category

Food processing

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Crosley

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Ohio

City

Cincinnati

Context

Country

North America

State/Province

Unknown

Period

This model of refrigerator available c. 1928+

Canada

Unknown

Function

To keep foodstuffs, beverages, etc. cool in order to prolong freshness, prevent spoilage and enhance taste.

Technical

The Crosley Icy-Ball is an example of a gas-absorption refrigerator, like those found today in recreational vehicles or camper vans. Unlike most refrigerators, the Icy-Ball had no moving parts, and was manually cycled. Typically it would be charged in the morning, and provide cooling throughout the heat of the day. Absorption refrigerators cool by the evaporation of refrigerant: the build up of pressure due to evaporation of refrigerant is relieved by absorption into an absorptive medium (water in the case of the Icy-Ball). The Icy-Ball system moves heat from the refrigerated cabinet to the warmer room by using ammonia as the refrigerant. It consists of two metal balls: a hot ball, which in the fully charged state contains the absorber (water) and a cold ball containing liquid ammonia. These are joined by a pipe in the shape of an inverted U. The pipe allows ammonia gas to move in either direction. The Icy-Ball ran for approx. 24 hours on a cup of kerosene, and was popular with rural users and those who did not have access to electricity. After approximately a day's use (varying depending on load), the Icy-Ball stoped cooling, and needed recharging. [Ref. 2]

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Oval metal plate fixed to cabinet below door marked "PATENT PENDING/ NO. 759391/ ICY-BALL/ CABINET/ MADE BY/ THE CROSLEY RADIO CORPORATION/ CINCINNATI/ U.S.A.". Yellow adhesive backed paper label applied to cabinet exterior, near fuel housing ball, marked "ATTENTION/ The load terminals under this label are for feeding additional [illegible due to inaccessibility]/ this outlet without ground fault protection. Read instructions prior to [wiring ?]"; French text translation printed below.

Missing

One screw cap on external fuel housing ball missing. Interior appears to be missing racks/trays.

Finish

All metal exterior: cabinet has silver/grey finish. Black rubber (?) sleeve over pipe connecting fuel ball housing to cabinet. Door has wooden panel on interior surface. CAUTION: cabinet may be lined with asbestos sheeting. Some areas of interior painted cream colour.

Decoration

N/A