Ice Cream Maker (Bucket Type)

This device at Smith’s Tavern is a bucket-type ice cream maker.  It was manufactured by the Swedish company, Husqvarna Vapenfabrik “Reliance Freezer” brand four-quart hand-cranked device.  The outside barrel is made of pine, bound with metal bands. The handle turns a set of wooden paddles set inside a metal cylinder.  The section that holds the handle and the cogs to turn the paddles is made of cast iron. It was patented in 1881-85. 

 

Nancy M. Johnson from New York applied to get a patent for her hand-cranked freezer in 1843.  The machine had a moveable crank with a center paddle that churned the mixture. This method required a lot of patience and muscle to use. However, there were benefits to hand-cranked ice cream machines.  No need to pre-freeze and results in a bucket filled with ice cream when finished. Yet, it is hard work and requires a lot of ice and rock salt.

 

Nancy’s machine sold quickly. Within a short amount of time, there were 70 improvements to the ice cream freezer that made the invention more efficient. 

 

Ice-cream machines slowly became smaller around the 1880s and many people had them in their home.  They typically consist of a metal inner pail with a paddle attached to a crank handle. This sat inside a wooden bucket which contained a freezing mixture, ice, and salt. The cream was then poured into the inner bucket where it was churned until it froze.

 

Reference:  https://www.kalscoops.com/history-ice-cream-machines/

Catalog Items:

Item None

Location:	Floor in front of Panel 7
Length:	28 cm
Width:	28 cm
Height:	31 cm
Weight:	6804 g