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On the history page, I mentioned that Murray Spangler's vacuum
cleaner had a tremendous impact on household cleaning during the early 1900's.
The development of the fractional horsepower motor, coupled with a belt driven
rotating fan, made the upright vacuum cleaners very efficient. Enjoy
the sampling of upright cleaners in the gallery today. They are all
"first models" of companies.
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Hoover 0.
This forty pound giant
is Hoover's first vacuum from 1908. It is made out of wood and tin.
It has a belt driven brush roller and a large tin fan powered by a Westinghouse
motor. There is a large on/off switch on the body of the machine.
A sateen bag collects the dirt.
This machine also had
attachments which connected to the underside of the nozzle.
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Eureka.
The Eureka Co. launched its first cleaner in 1910. This
lightweight was constructed of cast aluminum. The large, spoked, rear
wheels detached. It was a straight suction machine. There was
no on/off switch incorporated into the design. The user merely pulled
the cord out of the top of the handle to stop the machine. The heavy
bag was cleaned by sliding the clip from the bottom. The round cap
in the front of the cleaner could be removed and a hose inserted to allow
for the use of attachments.
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Apex A3.
This product of Cleveland, Ohio was patented in 1914.
It featured a long, sloping, low nozzle designed to get under and around
most furniture. Its lever, in the middle of the nozzle, raised or lowered
a straight bristle bar inside the opening of the cleaner. The vacuum
could be turned on or off by rotating a knob on top of the handle.
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Richmond.
This sleek machine was patented in 1909. Its housing
is cast aluminum and it has a chrome handle. A rotary switch is on
the motor. The nozzle is skinny and can get into tight places. The
cavity inside the nozzle contains a brush bar that taps the floor rapidly
to vibrate and lift dust and grit to the surface, where the suction can pull
it into the cleaner.
A knee joint connecting the handle to the body allowed the
handle to be adjusted horizontally in order to clean flat surfaces such
as mattresses and billiard tables.
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TUEC Sanitator.
Not much is know about this machine. It does have an
interesting design. The large motor is reminiscent of a large hand
vac. However, the design of the wand and the permanent attachment of
the bag to the wand, suggests that the cleaner should be used as an upright.
The TUEC not only had a wooden handle on the top, but also a shoulder strap
to allow the cleaner to hang from one's side.
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Sturtevant 15.
I believe this machine to be one of the most stylish vacuums
of its day. It has a trim, swept back look which is aesthetically
pleasing. This is a straight suction model with a delicate rubber
bumper around the nozzle. Behind the nozzle is a wide roller which
adjusts to varying carpet height. It has an on/off switch in the handle.
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