Today in 1879, US Patent 216884 A was issued, an invention of Franz Pallausoh, for his “Improvement in Apparatus For Refrigerating Air For Cooling Beer and Other Liquids.” There’s no Abstract, though it’s described this way in the application:

My invention consists of a vessel fitted inwardly with strips or plates covered with coarse weavings or other material of great capillary power, maintained in a moist state, and arranged in irregular or zig zag lines, in combination with means for forcing a current of air or any other suitable gas through said vessel, the cooling apparatus being located in an ice-box, and the current of air not coming in contact with the ice, all as more particularly hereinafter described, and whereby the ice melts but slowly, and evaporation is actively maintained. The liquid caused to evaporate may be water, ether, alcohol, or any other volatile substance, or a mixture of such substances.