Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

What vintage floor care product is your fav?

Mine are:

Hoover

1. Floor-A-Matic (wish it was still made today)
2. Dial-A-Matic
3. Convertible
4. Quik Broom (version that uses toss-out bag)
5. Constellation w/Powermatic
6. Celebrity (early style)
7. O (hard to find)
8. Lightweight (UK Jr)

GE Roll-Easy

Compact/Tri-Star (old style [C1 thru DXL] NOT the MG Series)

Eureka

1. ESP
2. Dial-A-Nap
3. Roto-Matic
4. Crown Prince
5. Rugulator

Singer Twin Fan

Bissel Big Green Powerbrush

Electrolux Automatic E

Here's my FQ ml 31 (before clean-up; will post after pics later)  I already cleaned (wipe/polish outside & tools only; need to clean out motor)

I hope to get a rare President vac.  Anyone know who made these?

Very common vacuum style for the era, probably forties-ish.  On the underside of the tank, sometimes on the switch/motor end, sometimes the middle, is a maker's plate.  It will, if it's still there and it should be since they are riveted/screwed on, is the name and place of production.  My guess is Universal in Cleveland Ohio, but wouldn't bet on it.  This styling was used by Westinghouse and other tank brand makers too.  Long before litigiousness became as popular in the vacuum industry as the attachments.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Hi Carmine,

I think its maker is  Landers, Frary, Clark.  The tools that would have come with this machine were their standard for the machines they put out under various name.  Also, the hose connection is a strong indicator.  Metal tube inserts into the tubular port, a rubber sleeve simultaneouly fits over its outside and a metal cuffs slides down to hold it in place.

Venson

Venson wrote:

Hello Venson:

I recall that plunge fit coupling on the machine end of the hose.  It was also the standard machine end hose fitting on Westinghouse tanks, Universal tanks, and as I recall even the Jet 99 Universal tank/cann of the early 50's.  As I recall, didn't L-F-C make a Universal Jet 99 look alike under the name Atlas? 

Carmine D.

Hi Carmine,

You're good for my education.  Thanks for the terminilogical jargon update because I'd never heard the term "plunge fit" before.  Yep, LFR did the Jet 99 and the Atlas, both of which I have,  The company name is right there on the spec plate.

I also have a Westinghouse T-5 tank-type but the hose fitting is different.  The inside of each port has a coil spring that comes through a slot on both sides.  An indent in the hose end allows the spring to catch and keep the hose in place.  In a fashion, it's similar to the hose lock mechanism on the Hoover tanks that used heavy wire springs to lock the hose but Westinghouse has no release mechanism.

Venson

Venson wrote:

Hello Venson:

Thank you sir for the clarifications and updates to my old tired memory.

Carmine D.

Hello all! I have loved Compacts and Tri Stars for well over 22 years and recently fell in love with the older Kirbys. Pretty new into the vacuum forum so if someone can walk me into some vintage vacuum forum action, it would be awesome! Right now I have a very small herd of vacuums and they are in total full retirement while our newer Miele Pearl and some  Sears Vacuum take up the slack!  I have some pictures of my steed here soon! Thanks for having me!

compact wrote:



Hi compact,

We don't use this forum for extended vintage vacuum speak but try . . .

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vacuumcleanercollectorsclub

I haven't visited this Yahoo group in quite a while but it might be a helpful forum for you to join for the purpose of learning of other collectors.

Hope that helps,

Venson

Thanks Buddy!