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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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