Royal 235 Information Appreciated

Nice find, and I believe the 235 is a pre-war model. However, they didn't change much over the years and you'll find that later models are quite similar, and there are a few things you need to know. First, if you look at the motor housing you will find two oil ports, one in front just behind the fan case, and the other toward the back. They may have either metal or plastic caps on them, the plastic will have a slot for a screwdriver. Remove the caps, and put about 6 drops of 3 in 1 ELECTRIC MOTOR oil in each port. This is NOT regular 3 in 1 oil, but a special formula they make for electric motors. It should be available at Home Depot, Lowe's, or your local hardware store. After this first oiling (which should be done ASAP, as you don't know when the previous owner last oiled it), it should only need oiled about once a year.
Next is height adjustment. You will notice a knob in the back, above the rear wheels. Turn it clockwise to lower the nozzle, counterclockwise to raise it. Raise the nozzle a bit, then turn on the machine and lower the nozzle gradually until you hear a change in the sound of the motor, then the nozzle will be set for your carpet. As for how well it cleans, a Royal in good condition will clean as good as a Kirby (if not better). To see the cleaning action at work, sprinkle a little salt on the rug, turn on the Royal, and as you get within about an inch of the salt you'll see the granules "dance" from the vibration of the brush roll and the suction drawing the granules toward the nozzle.
As for bags, it looks like you have a shakeout bag. Good news is no bags to buy, bad news is you have to empty it. First, unhook it from the handle, then twist the collar where it attaches to the fan case outlet. Spread some newspaper on the floor, slide the clamp off the top of the bag and place the open end of the bag on the papers, and hold in place gently with your feet, then grab the collar and shake gently. The bulk of the dirt should fall out onto the paper. Then move to another spot on the paper and shake vigorously, that should take care of the rest. However, if there's a zipper on the back of the bag, then it does take disposables, and Eureka F & G bags work well, are readily available, and fairly cheap.
Here are pics of some of my vintage Royals. Pic one is a group pic of a model 153, a 157 hand vac, and a 189. Pic 2 is another 189, and pic 3 is a 215. Although you can't tell from the front, the 153 actually has a zipper (disposable) bag on it.
Jeff

Photos... < > Photo 1 of 3 View Full Size


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Post# 338208 11/28/2015 at 09:21 (3,070 days old) by christine ()
Checkrate/Likes Hi There, I think this is the place to be, unless I picked the wrong category if it turns out this is pre-1950. I got this Royal 235 at an estate sale. I love vintage appliances, but I focus on the things which make messes more than those which clean them up (stand mixers, waffle irons, juicers, etc.). I have a royal hand-held with all the attachments and I thought it would be neat to have it's older uncle, the upright...but what do I have here and what do I need to know about it? I plugged the rotting, cracking cord in and it turned right on, beater bar spinning away, light working...the bag puffed right up. I think it's cool and I love using old stuff, but I don't know if I'll have trouble finding parts for it or if there are quirks about it which will drive me nuts and make me sorry I decided to keep it for use. So, if anyone out there could tell me when this might be from, if belts/bags/etc will be a headache, whether or not this will actually pick up the dirt and dust my old house seems to produce all day long, etc. I would very much appreciate it! Thanks in advance! Serial #235-44195 Model #235-C Christine Phila, PA Photos... < > Photo 1 of 4 View Full Size

Post# 338248 , Reply# 1 11/28/2015 at 22:44 (3,070 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Hi Christine!* Nice find, and I believe the 235 is a pre-war model. However, they didn't change much over the years and you'll find that later models are quite similar, and there are a few things you need to know. First, if you look at the motor housing you will find two oil ports, one in front just behind the fan case, and the other toward the back. They may have either metal or plastic caps on them, the plastic will have a slot for a screwdriver. Remove the caps, and put about 6 drops of 3 in 1 ELECTRIC MOTOR oil in each port. This is NOT regular 3 in 1 oil, but a special formula they make for electric motors. It should be available at Home Depot, Lowe's, or your local hardware store. After this first oiling (which should be done ASAP, as you don't know when the previous owner last oiled it), it should only need oiled about once a year. Next is height adjustment. You will notice a knob in the back, above the rear wheels. Turn it clockwise to lower the nozzle, counterclockwise to raise it. Raise the nozzle a bit, then turn on the machine and lower the nozzle gradually until you hear a change in the sound of the motor, then the nozzle will be set for your carpet. As for how well it cleans, a Royal in good condition will clean as good as a Kirby (if not better). To see the cleaning action at work, sprinkle a little salt on the rug, turn on the Royal, and as you get within about an inch of the salt you'll see the granules "dance" from the vibration of the brush roll and the suction drawing the granules toward the nozzle. As for bags, it looks like you have a shakeout bag. Good news is no bags to buy, bad news is you have to empty it. First, unhook it from the handle, then twist the collar where it attaches to the fan case outlet. Spread some newspaper on the floor, slide the clamp off the top of the bag and place the open end of the bag on the papers, and hold in place gently with your feet, then grab the collar and shake gently. The bulk of the dirt should fall out onto the paper. Then move to another spot on the paper and shake vigorously, that should take care of the rest. However, if there's a zipper on the back of the bag, then it does take disposables, and Eureka F & G bags work well, are readily available, and fairly cheap. Here are pics of some of my vintage Royals. Pic one is a group pic of a model 153, a 157 hand vac, and a 189. Pic 2 is another 189, and pic 3 is a 215. Although you can't tell from the front, the 153 actually has a zipper (disposable) bag on it. Jeff Photos... < > Photo 1 of 3 View Full Size

Post# 338276 , Reply# 2 11/29/2015 at 14:10 (3,069 days old) by christine ()
Checkrate/Likes Thank you, Jeff! I would not have realized any of that and would probably be off on a wild goose chase for bags. I like the idea of a "shake out" bag; I can just take it outside and shake it out near the brush pile and +compost -landfill! I have "lilly white" machine oil for my vintage sewing machines (don't ask how many of THOSE I have!). Is that the same thing as the oil you referenced? The floors on the first floor here are brick and using my Oreck XL on them completely mashed/warped the bottom of the vacuum (lots of plastic parts). In your opinion, if I have the height set appropriately, would this 235 do well on those brick floors? I should post pics of my little 501 also, but I am afraid of starting a collection (anyone need a vintage or antique sewing machine?). Thanks again!

Post# 338329 , Reply# 3 12/1/2015 at 04:02 (3,068 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)
Checkrate/Likes Dump bag-forget the paper bit-just take the bag off-dump it in the trash can or the garden!DON'T store dirt in the bag though-empty after each use.The dirt will cause odors,rot the fabric,and clog the cloth pores reducing efficiency.Vacuum the inside of the bag with a canister vac to clean out the cloth pores.Do that now and then and you cloth bag will last years!

Post# 338345 , Reply# 4 12/1/2015 at 09:49 (3,067 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Brick Floors ??* The basic idea here is that an upright is best for rugs and carpet no matter what they tell you or if the low setting is labeled 'floor' and the best way to vacuum a hard floor is with a hose,wands and floor brush with bristles whether connected to an upright,canister or central vac.Look at the damaged bottom of your Oreck and imagine what could be happening to the hard floor you are working to clean and protect.One of the best floor attachments is with the Royal att set.Some newer sets may fit your older Royal.Other good ones include Elux/Aerus and the better Miele atts. Another thing to consider is that a 2 story house needs 2 vacs and a 3 story needs 3.this might allow a canister on floors with more hard floor and an upright nearer carpeted areas. Happy Vacuuming.

Post# 339557 , Reply# 5 12/18/2015 at 01:16 (3,051 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Hi Christine!* Glad I was able to help. As for the oil, the 3 in 1 Electric Motor Oil is made specifically for motors and would be your best bet. It should be available at your local hardware store, or home improvement stores such as Home Depot, Lowe's, or Menard's. Regular 3 in 1 will work in a pinch, but not as well as the 3 in 1 Electric Motor oil. Not sure about the sewing machine oil, but seems I have heard of people using it before. I agree with rugsucker that a tank or canister, or upright with attachments would be best for your brick floor. However, if you want to use the Royal for it, adjust the nozzle height to where the bristles of the brushroll barely touch the floor, but high enough that the bottom plate does NOT touch the floor. That should work pretty well. Jeff

Post# 339578 , Reply# 6 12/18/2015 at 12:29 (3,050 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)
Checkrate/Likes *christine* Christine, Yours is also a 1950-53 model since the tag on the bottom reads "ROYAL VACUUM CLEANER COMPANY" instead of "P. A. GEIER COMPANY." ~Ben

Post# 339800 , Reply# 7 12/22/2015 at 06:56 (3,047 days old) by christine ()
Checkrate/Likes Thank you Ben, Jeff, and "Rugsucker"! I appreciate the info. I really love having old stuff and knowing something about it. It puts history into a context that I can understand and live on a day-to-day basis. After all, no matter what is happening in the world, dust bunnies just keep piling up under the sofa!