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Zamboni Company
Frank J. Zamboni & Company is an American manufacturer of ice resurfacing equipment based in Paramount, California. Frank J. Zamboni developed the first ice resurfacing machine in 1949, and started the Zamboni Company in 1950. Zamboni /zæmˈboʊni/ is an internationally registered trademark.
The machines are made in Paramount, California, and in Brantford, Ontario.
The first ice-resurfacer was the brainchild of Frank J. Zamboni, who was originally in the refrigeration business. He provided services to businesses such as dairy farms and produce vendors. Zamboni created a plant for making ice blocks that could be used in refrigeration techniques. As the demand for ice blocks waned, Zamboni looked for another way to capitalize on his expertise with ice.
In 1939, Zamboni created the Iceland Skating Rink in Paramount, California. To resurface the skating rink, three or four workers scraped, washed, and squeegeed the ice. Then they added a thin layer of water to make fresh ice. This process was extremely time consuming, and Zamboni wanted to find a more efficient method.
From 1942 to 1947, Zamboni tried, fruitlessly, to develop a vehicle that could cut down on resurfacing time. In 1947, Zamboni decided on a machine that shaved, washed, and squeegeed the ice. He mounted this machine on an army surplus vehicle chassis. A blade mounted on the machine shaved the ice, which then received a thin layer of water to create a smooth sheet of ice. The prototype had a tank that held the ice shavings, which it carried to the tank via a conveyor belt. This machine was powered by a Jeep engine and transmission. Zamboni abandoned this model in late 1947 because of deficiencies with the blade and handling.
A new machine used another army surplus vehicle chassis. This machine had four wheel drive and front and back wheel steering. By 1949, "'The Model A Zamboni Ice-Resurfacer' became a working reality." Further modification to the Model A included the addition of a wash water tank and a cover for the snow-holding tank. The front and back steering feature was removed in favor of front-wheel steering because the machine constantly got wedged against the boards.
The Model A did not have the visual appeal of modern ice-resurfacers. A journalist from the Brantford Expositor observed that "[t]he original [Model A] looks like the offspring of a field tractor and a warehouse crate." In May 1949, Frank Zamboni filed a patent application for the Model A. In 1953, after more than four years, U.S. Patent No. 2,642,679 finally issued. The first built Model A Zamboni, used for the Iceland rink, is now on permanent display at the still-operating rink.
Zamboni's next resurfacer was the Model B. This machine differed significantly from the Model A. Instead of using a Jeep engine and transmission, Zamboni decided to build the necessary parts directly onto a Jeep body. Zamboni model C was also built on a Jeep body, but with more design changes. Zamboni raised the driver's position for better visibility, and increased snow-holding tank capacity.
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Zamboni Company
Frank J. Zamboni & Company is an American manufacturer of ice resurfacing equipment based in Paramount, California. Frank J. Zamboni developed the first ice resurfacing machine in 1949, and started the Zamboni Company in 1950. Zamboni /zæmˈboʊni/ is an internationally registered trademark.
The machines are made in Paramount, California, and in Brantford, Ontario.
The first ice-resurfacer was the brainchild of Frank J. Zamboni, who was originally in the refrigeration business. He provided services to businesses such as dairy farms and produce vendors. Zamboni created a plant for making ice blocks that could be used in refrigeration techniques. As the demand for ice blocks waned, Zamboni looked for another way to capitalize on his expertise with ice.
In 1939, Zamboni created the Iceland Skating Rink in Paramount, California. To resurface the skating rink, three or four workers scraped, washed, and squeegeed the ice. Then they added a thin layer of water to make fresh ice. This process was extremely time consuming, and Zamboni wanted to find a more efficient method.
From 1942 to 1947, Zamboni tried, fruitlessly, to develop a vehicle that could cut down on resurfacing time. In 1947, Zamboni decided on a machine that shaved, washed, and squeegeed the ice. He mounted this machine on an army surplus vehicle chassis. A blade mounted on the machine shaved the ice, which then received a thin layer of water to create a smooth sheet of ice. The prototype had a tank that held the ice shavings, which it carried to the tank via a conveyor belt. This machine was powered by a Jeep engine and transmission. Zamboni abandoned this model in late 1947 because of deficiencies with the blade and handling.
A new machine used another army surplus vehicle chassis. This machine had four wheel drive and front and back wheel steering. By 1949, "'The Model A Zamboni Ice-Resurfacer' became a working reality." Further modification to the Model A included the addition of a wash water tank and a cover for the snow-holding tank. The front and back steering feature was removed in favor of front-wheel steering because the machine constantly got wedged against the boards.
The Model A did not have the visual appeal of modern ice-resurfacers. A journalist from the Brantford Expositor observed that "[t]he original [Model A] looks like the offspring of a field tractor and a warehouse crate." In May 1949, Frank Zamboni filed a patent application for the Model A. In 1953, after more than four years, U.S. Patent No. 2,642,679 finally issued. The first built Model A Zamboni, used for the Iceland rink, is now on permanent display at the still-operating rink.
Zamboni's next resurfacer was the Model B. This machine differed significantly from the Model A. Instead of using a Jeep engine and transmission, Zamboni decided to build the necessary parts directly onto a Jeep body. Zamboni model C was also built on a Jeep body, but with more design changes. Zamboni raised the driver's position for better visibility, and increased snow-holding tank capacity.