Albert Einstein is often thought of as an archetype of the unworldly theoretical
physicist, but in fact he was interested in and knowledgeable on a broad variety
of topics far removed from his speciality. In 1930, along with fellow
physicist Leo Szilard, he was granted U.S. Patent 1,781,541 for a refrigerator
with no moving parts other than the refrigerant. At the time the patent was issued,
Einstein and Szilard were residents of Berlin; both were soon to flee Germany when
Hitler came to power. This document is a facsimile of the U.S. patent on the
Einstein-Szilard refrigerator, filed on December 16, 1927, granted
November 11, 1930, and licensed to the Electrolux Corporation.