Vacuum Cleaners Discussions |
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DysonInventsBig
Location: USA
Joined: Jul 31, 2007
Points: 1454
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Original Message Jun 28, 2008 12:41 am |
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Dyson is in the news frequently and so a dedicated thread. . 
 
 
This message was modified Aug 2, 2008 by DysonInventsBig
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Model2
~ It Beats...as it Sweeps...as it Cleans ~
Location: England
Joined: Jan 8, 2009
Points: 155
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Reply #466 Jan 14, 2009 9:59 am |
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http://www.abbysguide.com/vacuum/discussions/33916-0-1.html Hello Model2: I posted a link to another thread on this site. Your post above caught my attention WRT another topic on this site for antique vacuums. I thought perhaps you may know the answer to a question that Venson and I are mulling over regarding the production and sales of Westinghouse uprights in the UK prior to and during WW11. If you peruse the thread quickly, you'll get the jist of our dilemma. We could not decide/determine with certainty whether the pictured metal Westinghouse upright [circa 1930's] is UK made or imported from the USA. What do think/say? BTW, while I remotely see a connection to the early Air Way stick uprights [late 20's/early 30's] to the concept of steering [wheels on the A-W straight suction nozzle head while other uprights of the day were using revolving brushes], I would tend more to compare dyson's ball/slim to the GE upright of the early 60's with the oblong wheel. As you may know, the GE upright was a consumer dud despite its worthiness as a lightweight upright. I can't speak to the Apex//HOOVER you cite which in the USA [especially HOOVER] used stationary wheels, usually of the same size for the years you say, on stationary axles for both front and rear. Carmine D.
Hoover wasn't officially available in the UK until 1919, athough history records sales made to Scotland in 1912.
The American Hoover models I refer to which included the rear swivel casters and front stationary wheels include the original 1908 Model O, Model 18, Model O Improved, Model 1, Model 1 Improved, Model 2 etc. etc. All of the larger uprights, in fact. They would have been just too heavy to manoeuver without the castors! The last models to use the 'steerable' castors were the Senior Model 101, and Junior Model 198 - both of which ceased production in 1922. The smaller, less expensive Hoover models generally used the standard front and rear wheels you mentioned. The Apex/Vactric models I mentioned employed a swivelling handle joint, which allowed the user to steer the cleaner exactly as modern equivalents do. The handle joint could also be locked in place if desired, to facilitate use as a standard 'backwards-and-forwards' upright.
~ However Clean - Hoover Cleaner ~
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Venson
Joined: Jul 23, 2007
Points: 1900
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Reply #469 Jan 15, 2009 12:12 pm |
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BTW, while I remotely see a connection to the early Air Way stick uprights [late 20's/early 30's] to the concept of steering [wheels on the A-W straight suction nozzle head while other uprights of the day were using revolving brushes], I would tend more to compare dyson's ball/slim to the GE upright of the early 60's with the oblong wheel. As you may know, the GE upright was a consumer dud despite its worthiness as a lightweight upright. . . .
Carmine D. Hi Carmine, There was a model of the Air-Way upright that had a revolving brush. It was for a intent and purpose a stick vac with power nozzle. This was way, way back in the day and I have always wondered why it took so long, maybe twenty or so years later, for the power nozzle to come to mind again. As for the GE upright, sandalwood beige beauty that it was, it employed a floating brushroll to compensate for it lack of a carpet height adjustment -- same as Singer's oldie. I think here too there wasn't enough of a downward force to make even a revolving brush of much worth cleaning-wise. The beauty of it was that it was sleek, low design and that it could be hung flat on a wall for storage. Do you remember the model number? Thanks, Venson
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CarmineD
Joined: Dec 31, 2007
Points: 5894
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Reply #470 Jan 15, 2009 1:45 pm |
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Hi Carmine,
As for the GE upright, sandalwood beige beauty that it was, it employed a floating brushroll to compensate for it lack of a carpet height adjustment -- same as Singer's oldie. I think here too there wasn't enough of a downward force to make even a revolving brush of much worth cleaning-wise. The beauty of it was that it was sleek, low design and that it could be hung flat on a wall for storage. Do you remember the model number?
Thanks,
Venson
Hello Venson:
Yes, I believe it to be the V12 U1, if memory serves me correctly. Carmine D.
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Venson
Joined: Jul 23, 2007
Points: 1900
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Reply #472 Jan 15, 2009 3:00 pm |
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Back again Venson: The brush roll on this particular GE upright reminds me more of a brush bar to use dyson's terminology. GE scrubbed the brush bar in favor of a more industry standard brush roll in subsequent upright models which also employed rug height adjustments. Carmine D. Hi, That's true but GE moved back to more conventional upright design. Though GE continuallly manufactured canisters wasn't there laspe in upright manufacture before it started producing the external beg models with the suction port at the back of the base or were both on the market? Venson
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DysonInventsBig
Location: USA
Joined: Jul 31, 2007
Points: 1454
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Reply #474 Jan 16, 2009 5:51 pm |
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... That's been my view too and for some time.
re: blade drag
I do not own a DC18 and only experimented with one at my home for a little while. The blade simply does what it is designed to do, that is... scrape. On my Berber carpet it was noticeable and measurable. With the vacuum running and with the blade removed the vacuum measured about 1/2 of a pound easier to push/pull (if I remember correctly). In my opinion this COULD OF been easily avoided (engineered better) and when Which Magazine announces - the Slim feels "heavy" ...is this the kind of publicity Dyson wants from a [powerful and popular] consumer magazine?
I believe the Slim is Dyson's most creative, only because I have never seen anything that predates/is similar to this ball set up. I have seen ball canisters in the patent office and ball toys and Sir James said the Ball Barrow was a DC15 inspiration, etc., but I've never seen a ball/Slim set up before I learned of the DC18. I was terribly disappointed with the build on the DC21 - great idea, poor execution. I need to ice my wrist after vacuuming. Our housekeeper hates my DC21 and reminds me of it every time I pull it out. :)
DIB With the DC24 and DC25, the blade remains, but it's made of a thinner material. Also, rather than one solid strip, it's sliced into little tabs, so it offers less resistance whilst performing the same function. Perhaps the blade on the DC18 could be similarly modified to improve performance? That said, I don't fancy taking a craft-knife to it when I don't really find it to cause a problem in the first place! The first true steerable cleaners were the Air-Way uprights of the 1920s (of which the DC18 is VERY strongly reminiscent; I'd be shocked if the designers hadn't had them in mind when they created it!), and the Apex Model 120/Vactric Airflo of the mid-1930s. Vactric charmingly called the feature the 'Witchway Handle'! From 1908 - 1922, Hoover offered models which had ordinary front wheels and rear swivel-castors, all running on ball-bearings, which achieved a similar effect. So it's not really a new idea, it's just repackaged for the new century. 'Putting a new spin on an old idea'! Model2, I have seen two vacuums in the United States Patent Office, that use a manipulating handle (1. a swivel and 2. a gimbal) both from the 1930’s (early and mid). These two vacuums are the obvious forerunners in function to the Miela S7 and alike. If there is a vacuum that rides on a DC18 type roller it is not in the US patent office (I’m 95% sure). I’d like to see this vacuum, do you have anything illustrating it that you can post? I have a love/hate for wiper blades under vacuums. It may be a good consumer element but it’s not the best way to vacuum a hard surface as you know. I’ve yet to see a broom that uses a wiper blade. The Dyson blades cut into fingers as you pointed out certainly have more benefits than a straight edged blade. I too think the DC18 has some benefits unlike the DC25. I assumed moving the motor, HEPA and all the housing from the DC18 handle and into the DC25 Ball would have lightened up the DC25 handle weight considerably, which it did not. I found this to be disappointing. DIB P.S. The vacuum [wand] swivel dates back to 1909.  
This message was modified Jan 16, 2009 by DysonInventsBig
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Venson
Joined: Jul 23, 2007
Points: 1900
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Reply #475 Jan 16, 2009 7:57 pm |
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Hi DIB, Please take a look at the following link -- http://www.137.com/museum/airway.htmYou will be led to an image of one of the ealiest innovation in electric vacuum cleaners. It is the Air-Way upright vacuum that I mentioned in an earlier post. I believe. This Air-Way vacuum originally began with just a straight suction nozzle but all, the way back in the late 1920s somebody got the idea to make what had to be the first electric power nozzle. This idea did not seem to validate itself until the very latter 1950s. Imagine an Electrolux XXX or Hoover Aerodyne tank-type fitted with one of these. Then again . . . To everything there is a season . . . In the nearer past Hoover produced a PN for am series of canisters that that allowed you to lowerr an actual brush strip for cleaning bare floors. They also supplied for one stick vac model. 'Tis true I -- I owned one. Someone please correct me if my memory has failed but I believe circa 1970-something Panasonic canisters used a plastic blade on its PNs. Plastic or rubber blades in in the past 50 years in general have usually only been used for "squeegee" tools meant to remove fluids from hard flooring. Pardon my presumptuousness, but the standard for hard floor cleaning has been either natural or synthetic bristle used to compose brush strips intended to aid vacuum cleaning hard flooring. In my opinion, plain old plastic strips tend to moreso push whatever is loose on a dry floor that dislodge adherent matter as well as a for real brush strips do. Venson |
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