Table of contents:
- The first pharmacy and vending machines in the States
- Khrushchev's curiosity in America
- What was sold and how much did it cost
- Such different Soviet machines
Video: How soda machines appeared in the USSR, and what a funny thing because of them happened to Khrushchev in America
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
For the first time, the automatic sale of carbonated water in the USSR at the official level was mentioned in 1932. "Vechernyaya Moskva" published a note that the Leningrad plant worker Agroshkin invented an innovative gas water device. The development of automated trade in the Soviet Union began under the auspices of Khrushchev. Pre-war engineering developments were brought to life after Nikita Sergeevich's visit to America, where he was introduced to a similar device. For four decades of operation, the Soviet gas water apparatus changed its color, shape, function, but remained invariably a popular attribute of the era.
The first pharmacy and vending machines in the States
The first known automatic gas water machine was patented by the American John Matthews in 1832. At the same time, the production of such machines was established. It was based on a saturator invented in the 18th century - a gas pump that saturates liquid with carbon dioxide. The first units were installed in pharmacies, since in the 19th century carbonated water was considered healing and used in the treatment of diseases. Outwardly, the devices of that period looked exquisite, decorating the interiors and indicating the level of a particular shop. Soon, soda was transformed from a medicinal drink into a trendy dessert.
At the international exhibition in 1876, the Mammoth automatic fountain 10 meters high with fruit gas water was demonstrated as a progressive achievement. This large-scale structure, two floors in size, of an average building was stylized as a gazebo with stucco molding, columns and a curly roof. Subsequent devices of this type, following the example of their progenitor, were made with taste, trimmed with marble, sculptural additions and even stuffed animals. The names of these machines were also pretentious: "Frost King", "Fountain of Thirst", "Eldorado".
By the end of the 19th century, such works of engineering and art were replaced by simpler mass-produced devices. The reason was the growing popularity of Coca-Cola. However, vending machines with draft drinks were replaced by branded bottles. The soda machine returned in the 30s of the next century. At the 1933 Chicago Fair, a fruit syrup water vending machine and automatic cup dispenser was introduced.
Khrushchev's curiosity in America
In 1959 Nikita Khrushchev went on an official visit to America. During the excursions, the Soviet delegation was shown a miracle of technology - a soda machine. In addition to its direct purpose, the invention skillfully recognizes the gender of the buyer: cherry syrup was poured into soda water for women, and orange syrup for men. When Nikita Sergeevich, in anticipation of a citrus drink, threw a coin into the machine, he received a cherry product. Unpleasantly surprised, the secretary general tried again, but the result was the same - the car treated Khrushchev to a lady's drink.
As it turned out later, the device was equipped with a simple photocell that responds to changes in lighting. When a young lady in a dress or skirt approached the machine, the light was covered with clothes, and the “smart” machine dispensed cherry syrup. Accordingly, men dressed in tight trousers received an orange drink. Khrushchev, who had a weakness for voluminous shirts and wide trousers, which ended almost under his chest, was not identified by gender. Because of the sweeping silhouette, the photocell mistook the Soviet leader's outfit for a woman's.
What was sold and how much did it cost
Despite the foreign misunderstanding, Khrushchev took note of the practical invention and, upon his return to the USSR, ordered to equip the Soviet streets with automatic gas water. Very soon, such inventions first filled Moscow, and then the entire Soviet Union. 24/7 vending machines quickly became popular as an alternative to mobile and stationary saturators maintained by vendors. The machines were arranged according to a simple principle. A water-cooling mechanism, a saturator, syrups in containers and a dosing water distributor of liquid were placed inside the box. A special relay was responsible for adjusting the gas pressure.
The price of drinks has remained unchanged for decades: carbonated chilled water without syrup cost 1 kopeck, with the addition of syrup - 3 kopecks. On the territory of state enterprises, machines were supplemented with a third item: water and salt. It was believed that such a drink retains fluid in the body in conditions of complex and harmful production. Water in such devices was obtained free of charge.
Such different Soviet machines
Soda and beverage machines based on it were produced in the Soviet Union at three trade engineering plants: Kharkov, Kiev and Perovsk. There were several modifications of these devices, some replaced others. Perhaps the most popular in the history of the AT-26. It is this red cabinet with life-saving soda that appears in Gaidai's legendary film Operation Y and Shurik's Other Adventures. The ATK-2 automatic kiosk dispensed gas water and two types of drinks in glass glasses, and was in operation throughout the 50s.
Another type of AT-14 assault rifle is also known to Soviet people from the 50-60th. Such automatic gas-water machines often appear in the film "I Walk Through Moscow". With this modification of trading devices, models of Cristian Dior were photographed in Moscow's Gorky Park in 1959. The appearance of those machines resembled space rockets, which was undoubtedly a tribute to the space age. In the 1960s, the brainchild of the Perovskiy machine plant AT-114 came to the fore. Its main difference is two separate coin mechanisms. In the last Soviet years, soda was bought in AT-101SK, AT-101SM machines. These devices differed only in appearance, traditionally preparing soda with and without syrup. In the 90s, automatic gas-water dispensers disappeared. It was generally accepted that unsanitary conditions, provoked by one faceted glass for all, were to blame, which did not frighten anyone for the previous 40 years.
In addition to the soda machines, there were other features of everyday life. the everyday life of Soviet people was captured by the lens of an unknown photographer.
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