An ice resurfacer (Zamboni) is a vehicle or hand-pushed device used to clean and smooth the surface of a sheet of ice, usually in an ice rink. The first ice resurfacer was developed by American inventor and engineer Frank Zamboni in 1949 in the city of Paramount, California, USA.

In 1939, Zamboni built the Iceland Skating Rink in Paramount, California. In order to resurface the skating rink, 3 or 4 workers had to scrape, wash, and squeegee the ice.

The prototype had a tank that held the ice shavings, which were carried to the tank via a conveyor belt. A new machine was developed using another army surplus vehicle chassis. This machine had four-wheel drive as well as all-wheel steering.

By 1949, the Model A Zamboni Ice Resurfacer was developed. Further modification to the Model A included the addition of a wash water tank and a cover for the snow-holding tank. The only front-wheel steering exists because the machine constantly got wedged against the boards. The Zamboni ice-resurfacer was patented in 1953.

In almost every way, Zamboni is a revered model of consistency. Its form, function and sales output 200 to 250 of its all-in-one machines are produced each year, the company said have barely changed in decades.

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