Who Invented the Ceiling Fan
The ceiling fan is an electronic device with rotating arms, called blades, that is attached to the ceiling to help circulate the air. They rotate relatively slowly and work on the principle of introducing air movement into a still, hot room. Unlike an air conditioner, a ceiling fan does not cool the actual room itself. They rely on evaporative cooling, which helps to speed up the evaporation of perspiration on the human skin. This is certainly not as effective as an air conditioner, but they are quite effective and very popular because they use far less power than an air conditioner. Let’s take a look at who invented the ceiling fan.
Who invented the ceiling fan?
It was in the 1860s that the first ceiling fans made an appearance. They were very different from the modern ceiling fans we know of today because they were not powered by electricity. They ran on an elaborate system that utilized running water to power a system of belts to turn the blades.
The electric ceiling fan was invented in 1882 by engineer and inventor, Philip Diehl. He had earlier invented an electric sewing machine and adapted the motor from this invention to create the ceiling fan. He called his invention the “Diehl Electric Fan” and it was such a success that he soon had many other people competing with him.
Did you know?
Most modern ceiling fans come with a reversible mechanism so that they can be used in both summer and winter. In summer the direction of the fan causes air to be blind downward and in winter the fan is set to work in the opposite direction and forces the cold air up in the warm air down.
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