Story: Inventions, patents and trademarks

McCulloch hand vacuum pump

McCulloch hand vacuum pump

A simple cardboard tube sliding inside another one, the hand vacuum pump was invented in the 1970s by Norma McCulloch of Rongotea in Manawatū. The pump used in kitchens around New Zealand to extract air from freezer bags before the contents are frozen. This saves space in the freezer and improves the quality of the frozen food.

Using this item

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photograph by Marguerite Hill

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Mark Derby, 'Inventions, patents and trademarks - The ‘no. 8 wire’ tradition', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/25389/mcculloch-hand-vacuum-pump (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Mark Derby, published 11 Mar 2010, updated 1 Feb 2015