L.A.M. Phelan
Encyclopedia
L.A.M. Phelan was an American businessman and inventor. He is known mainly as inventor of the broaster equipment and method for pressure-cooking chicken
, and founder
of the Broaster Company.
, Monsanto Company, American Car and Foundry, and Allis-Chalmers
, on the Panama Canal
project, as well others in the fields of carton
making, oil burner
s, and steam trap
s.
In the 1910s Phelan invented and developed various forms of the mercury switch
, on which he obtained 52 patents. In 1920 he formed the Absolute Con-Tac-Tor Corporation to manufacture and market contactor
mercury switches. Through a series of mergers, this technology became an important early product of Honeywell
.
In the 1930s Phelan took over and ran the Taylor Company, now a subsidiary of Carrier Corporation
, manufacturer of conventional and soft serve
commercial ice cream freezers. In 1946 he organized more than 40 of Taylor's employees as Tekni-Craft, one of America's first worker cooperative
s, to which he sold Taylor's manufacturing and distribution rights. Phelan also invented the "Zest-O-Mat" frozen custard
freezer and founded Zesto Products Dairy
, which grew into a chain of more than 50 drive-in restaurants.
From 1936 to 1949 he operated a manufacturer of X-ray tube
s.
In the early 1950s, approximately the same time as Colonel Sanders
began franchising his KFC
restaurant chain, Phelan developed the broasting
method of cooking chicken, for which he invented a modified commercial-grade pressure cooker. He founded the Broaster Company in 1956 to manufacture and market the machines.
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
, and founder
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
of the Broaster Company.
Biography
In the late 19th century and early 20th century Phelan worked on invention and development with GoodyearGoodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
, Monsanto Company, American Car and Foundry, and Allis-Chalmers
Allis-Chalmers
The Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. of West Allis, Wisconsin, is an American company known for its past as a manufacturer with diverse interests, perhaps most famous for their bright Persian Orange farm tractors...
, on the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
project, as well others in the fields of carton
Carton
Carton is the name of certain types of containers typically made from paperboard which is also sometimes known as cardboard. Many types of cartons are used in packaging. Sometimes a carton is also called a box.-Folding cartons:...
making, oil burner
Oil burner
An oil burner is a heating device which burns fuel oil. The oil is atomized in to a fine spray usually by forcing it under pressure through a nozzle...
s, and steam trap
Steam trap
A steam trap is a device used to discharge condensate and non condensable gases with a negligible consumption or loss of live steam.Most steam traps are nothing more than automatic valves. They open, close or modulate automatically...
s.
In the 1910s Phelan invented and developed various forms of the mercury switch
Mercury switch
A mercury switch is a switch whose purpose is to allow or interrupt the flow of electric current in an electrical circuit in a manner that is dependent on the switch's physical position or alignment relative to the direction of the "pull" of earth's gravity, or other inertia.Mercury switches...
, on which he obtained 52 patents. In 1920 he formed the Absolute Con-Tac-Tor Corporation to manufacture and market contactor
Contactor
A contactor is an electrically controlled switch used for switching a power circuit, similar to a relay except with higher current ratings. A contactor is controlled by a circuit which has a much lower power level than the switched circuit....
mercury switches. Through a series of mergers, this technology became an important early product of Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
.
In the 1930s Phelan took over and ran the Taylor Company, now a subsidiary of Carrier Corporation
Carrier Corporation
The Carrier Corporation is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, and a global leader in the commercial refrigeration and food service equipment industry...
, manufacturer of conventional and soft serve
Soft serve
Soft serve is a term used to describe a type of ice cream that is softer than regular ice cream and that has been sold commecially since the late 1930s.- History :...
commercial ice cream freezers. In 1946 he organized more than 40 of Taylor's employees as Tekni-Craft, one of America's first worker cooperative
Worker cooperative
A worker cooperative is a cooperative owned and democratically managed by its worker-owners. This control may be exercised in a number of ways. A cooperative enterprise may mean a firm where every worker-owner participates in decision making in a democratic fashion, or it may refer to one in which...
s, to which he sold Taylor's manufacturing and distribution rights. Phelan also invented the "Zest-O-Mat" frozen custard
Frozen custard
Frozen custard is a cold dessert similar to ice cream, made with eggs in addition to cream and sugar.In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration requires products marketed as frozen custard to contain at least 10 percent milkfat and 1.4 percent egg yolk solids. If it has fewer egg yolk...
freezer and founded Zesto Products Dairy
Zesto Drive-In
Zesto Drive-In was a chain of drive-in restaurants featuring ice cream and frozen custard. Several Zesto restaurants continue to operate today, but they are independently owned and no longer part of an organized chain.-History:...
, which grew into a chain of more than 50 drive-in restaurants.
From 1936 to 1949 he operated a manufacturer of X-ray tube
X-ray tube
An X-ray tube is a vacuum tube that produces X-rays. They are used in X-ray machines. X-rays are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, an ionizing radiation with wavelengths shorter than ultraviolet light...
s.
In the early 1950s, approximately the same time as Colonel Sanders
Colonel Sanders
Harland David "Colonel" Sanders was an American fast food businessman who founded the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant chain, now re-branded as KFC...
began franchising his KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
restaurant chain, Phelan developed the broasting
Broasting
Broasting is a trademark applied to a method of cooking chicken and other foods using a pressure fryer and condiments. The technique was invented by L.A.M...
method of cooking chicken, for which he invented a modified commercial-grade pressure cooker. He founded the Broaster Company in 1956 to manufacture and market the machines.