Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

How long until someone exposes the rubbish and lies of [vacuum cleaner] *clubbers and *dealers who use YouTube as their platform? 


DIB

*Not all, just many (are dirty).

CarmineD wrote:

That's incorrect; I visited the Historical Center in August 2008 during the celebrations for Hoover's 100th Anniversary. It's been closed  to the public over the winter as usual, but should be open for business again this month. The Historical Center is the property of the Walsh University, not Hoover, and is still very much an operative organisation. It continues to maintain considerable Hoover Company archives, as well as a large selection of historical machines, spanning from Spangler's 1907 sweeper to TTI's current line-up.

You may be confusing it with the liquidation of the Hoover Factory's infamous Vault of machines  - TTI retained all the pre-1960 contents, but most of the post-1960 machines are now the property of a good friend of mine in North Canton - presumably the expert you refer to. I've personally seen these, and even used a few! My friend spends much of his spare time doing work for the Historical Center. Some Vault machines also went to another North Canton resident, and many of those have found their way onto eBay, and into the hands of other collectors.

The Hoover Historical Center - August 8th, 2008

CarmineD wrote:

They certainly have their differences; Spangler's Sweeper used an Emerson motor, whereas the Model O used a Westinghouse motor. Also, the Model O introduced the light blue colour scheme - it was felt that the large, heavy, purring Spangler beast, painted black with gold detailing, might be intimidating to timid housewives not used to electrical appliances of any sort!

Of course, since both the Spangler Sweeper and the Model O were hand-built, little details changed constantly throughout production, as new ways of saving cost and improving quality were discovered. No two were exactly alike.

Thank you for the edification.  When you talk to your friend in NC, Ohio, who owns the post 1960 HOOVER machines, please give him my best.

Carmine D.

On the HOOVER Web Site, after you look at the the Platinum Collection, there is link to FAQ:  Frequently Asked Questions.  If you scroll down the list, there's one on old HOOVER cleaners.  Here is the answer which notedly mentions vacuum collectors and local repair shops.  BTW, after William "BOSS" HOOVER and James Spangler joined forces as partners BOSS HOOVER started the practice of selling vacuums out of local retail stores with reatilers keeping the commissions on the HOOVER sales.  A sales practice that HOOVER and many other big box vacuum brands still follow, not just in the US but globally:

Do you want an old Hoover cleaner that I have?

We appreciate your offer, but we have a museum of all the cleaners. You might consider placing an ad your local paper or internet. There are many vacuum collectors across America! You might also contact a local vacuum repair shop who might use it as a display.

Carmine D.

Model2 wrote:
Model2,

Many thanks!!  The Spangler Hoover story is a great story (the little I know).

A few questions...
When was the Suction Sweeper name/brand changed to Hoover?  And what vacuum was the first Hoover model (do you have a pic of this too?).  Was W H Hoover a preacher or the son of a preacher?  If you have more Spangler vacuum photos, please share.

I love hearing of backyard inventors who's innovations ultimately create industries and wealth.  Have you seen the Modern Marvel video on Spangler and Hoover?  It shows some old footage (few seconds) of the underside of a Suction Sweeper (I believe it was a Suction Sweeper) and it used casters.  I just assumed these casters were fixed to the unit by a home user and not from the factory.  You cleared this up.

Thanks again,
DIB

On August 8th, 1908,  Spangler's 'Electric Suction Sweeper Company' was reorganized , with William H Hoover as president and treasurer, Herbert W Hoover as secretary and general manager, and James M Spangler as superintendent. On January 3rd, 1910, the company was renamed 'The Hoover Suction Sweeper Company', so the first Hoover machines would have dated from around then. However, some late Model Os (or possibly, Model O Improved) bore the name 'Hoover' on the front...the great problem I've had in my research is that very few, if any, official records were kept from this time; the company comprised of fewer than 20 people at this point, and cleaners were being built in a corner of Hoover's leather goods workshop! Everything's very vague, and it's a case of piecing things together from old photos, adverts, sales literature etc, which itself is very thin on the ground. I feel very lucky to have obtained what I have!

The first cleaner Hoover could really call 'all new', as opposed to a variation on Spangler's original design, would have been the 1909 Model 2 (my user ID here!). Before this came the Model O, Model 18, Model O Improved, Model 1 and Model 1 Improved - all within the 1908-09 period; improvements came thick and fast! Here's a picture of Model 2, on display at the Historical Center - a total departure from the large, bulky Spangler-based machines, and infintely more efficient!

Here are two cleaners patented by Spangler; the 1912 Hooverette (the first compact upright; the Dyson DC24 of it's day!), and the 1915 Hoover Baby. Both of these 'budget' models used a brush-roll driven by the front wheels like a carpet-sweeper, combined with an electric suction-only motor:

To answer your second question, W H Hoover was indeed an ordained minister, and also New Berlin/North Canton's first mayor. He was a very generous benefactor to the town and community of New Berlin/North Canton, and is still held with great respect and affection by the people of the town. There's even a statue and plaque in his honour.

I haven't seen the Modern Marvel video on Spangler and Hoover, but it sounds very interesting! Can it be found online anywhere?

The HOOVER Web Site has a one page synopsis of HOOVER's beginnings which may be of interest to those inclined and worth a read [see link to Company Information].  Here is a relevant excerpt:

W.H. "Boss" Hoover, owner of a leather goods manufacturing shop, bought the patent from Spangler in 1908, retained him as a partner, and soon had six employees assembling six units a day in a corner of the leather goods shop.

More can be found on BOSS HOOVER on the internet and his charitable ways, i.e. paying the bank owned mortgages anonymously for residents of North Canton, Ohio during the Great Depression of the 30's to prevent home foreclosures. 

The early portable HOOVER models pictured show the iconic features of the HOOVER upright vacuums of the era that continued on all the HOOVER uprights right up to the late 1920's and early 1930's with the intro of the most famous "Greater HOOVER: The 700 series."  The top mounted motor, white aluminum metal base [lighter than traditional metals of the day], fork bail, power switch on the rear of base, large full cloth bag with the signature HOOVER brand name of the era, front name plate on the base, and rubber bumper [furniture guard] all around.  Even appears the electrical plug is of the screw in variety for light bulb fixtures, typical of the electrical sources of the day.

Carmine D. 

Model2,

You helped answer some questions I have had for some time.  Many thanks!  I did not know Hoover was the benevolent man he was.  Wilbur and Orville’s father was a minister too.  It is not uncommon to see men of faith invent, become leaders, financially successful and then give back to society.  R. G. LeTourneau was a man of Christian faith and invented far ahead of his time.  Many of his inventions were dismissed by the big corporations (when he was a small company), and these inventions/concepts are standards today. - Sounds like Dyson (rejected and then was proven to be ahead of his time).  The company now is credited with the worlds largest [rubber tired] front end loader.  Like Hoover he was a philanthropist/giver and founded a university too.  

Did you hear?...  James Dyson gave a large donation to the RCA.  
http://www.rca.ac.uk/Default.aspx?ContentID=501968&GroupID=504590&CategoryID=36538

LeTourneau clips...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJBF7Hbggoo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dODuWTI0GdY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvmnc0TJFto

Here is the Modern Marvel - Spangler Hoover [short] story...
http://www.viddler.com/explore/InventBig/videos/55/?secreturl=24707784


Thanks to you too, Carmine.


DIB

P.S.  I use a Mac, and it is impossible to create hyperlinks easily in these posts.  So, no hypelinks.

We often read and hear about the brilliant ideas that inventors come up with out of frustration with the current crop of product limitations.

Sometimes we even hear the practical ones, like reinventing one's business to survive.  Such was the case with BOSS HOOVER.  Leather goods?  Like horse saddles and gear?  With bicycles and cars rapidly preempting horses.  Good case of reinventing oneself and their business to survive.

Carmine D.

Well said!  Many things about this story are inspirational!       DIB