My Christmas present to myself!

An original Roll-Easy toggle switch does stay exposed but it is less a regular flip toggle than a plated brass knobule on a spring-loaded chain. Meaning it can be flicked from any direction by toe without breaking off. A beautiful piece of switchgear, it does unfortunately stand proud of the hub and wheel rim by 1/8" so if set on end it is bent slightly askew sideways on a hard surface and can be triggered rubbing against the door frame. Many have been damaged and retrofitted with a regular shorter toggle or pushbutton replacement that eliminates the interference but then you'd have to bend down to turn it on/off.

Oddly for me, I don't have a clear picture of the R-l Version 1 with the copper plating showing the switch & cord side. Here's one of a convex version 3 R-1 that shows the toggleknob shape and the cord's round insertion plug, he only vacuum I know of that has this round two-pinsocket shape. In the original convex barrelled R-1 the plug is a perfect cylinder mating with two interior pins - same spacing as any PN cable.
That was changed on the convex barreled versions 2 & 3 with an added side key-way on Versions 2 & 3 to locate the pins & sockets more accurately first time in (like a radio rube base), lessening strain when forcing the plug on the socket pins.
You can use a version 2 or 3 key-wayed cord on a Version 1 but not the other way around without scarring the V1 cylindrical plug.
The cord can obviously be damaged if the vacuum is pulled past it's length because the tight fitting plug exits the vacuum hub at 90 degrees to the travel path.

Lifting the hub handle releases latches on two central pins fixed to the motor housing and the entire wheel lifts off to change bags. The cord really has to/should be removed first.
because of the large side wheels the vacuum can be flip-rotated from side to side and was, I expect, normally pulled around in this fashion.
But I have one that I set on it's exhaust hub side allowing it to rotate 360 degrees in the center of the room like a swiveltop with a long hose, just for fun. The exhaust side normally vents through a felt muffler packing ring inside the wheel rim, blowing across the surface of the cylinder. Removing the hub plug closes a sliding sheath valve and directs full exhaust to the hose outlet. Clever.

Weight? I'll weigh them tomorrow.


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Post# 120165 1/4/2011 at 20:16 (5,090 days old) by Westinghouseman (Capron, Illinois, 13 miles due north of Belvidere, Illinois.)
Checkrate/Likes Here is my GE R1 Roll-Easy~

Post# 120166 , Reply# 1 1/4/2011 at 20:19 (5,090 days old) by Westinghouseman (Capron, Illinois, 13 miles due north of Belvidere, Illinois.)
Checkrate/Likes GE R1 Roll-Easy

Post# 120167 , Reply# 2 1/4/2011 at 20:20 (5,090 days old) by arh1953 ( River Park, in Port St. Lucie, Florida)
Checkrate/Likes *That's a real beauty!!* And does he have the original hose? Beautiful rug to use that on!

Post# 120169 , Reply# 3 1/4/2011 at 20:24 (5,090 days old) by Westinghouseman (Capron, Illinois, 13 miles due north of Belvidere, Illinois.)
Checkrate/Likes *Thanks!* The hose is original!!

Post# 120171 , Reply# 4 1/4/2011 at 20:36 (5,090 days old) by vintagecanister ()
Checkrate/Likes *What better way to say.......* "I love me!" That's awesome...... Was this one of the 27 that were on Ebay a few weeks back? And the box.......what was in that originally, the tools?

Post# 120174 , Reply# 5 1/4/2011 at 20:41 (5,090 days old) by Westinghouseman (Capron, Illinois, 13 miles due north of Belvidere, Illinois.)
Checkrate/Likes The box is the original caddy for the tools...

Post# 120179 , Reply# 6 1/4/2011 at 20:59 (5,090 days old) by normvac (COLUMBUS, OHIO)
Checkrate/Likes *G E !* Congratulations Ken. What a fun machine to have !! Glad you got a good original one ! Norm

Post# 120181 , Reply# 7 1/4/2011 at 21:05 (5,090 days old) by vintagecanister ()
Checkrate/Likes *I fnd the vintage package* of unused bags intersting as well. It's amazing to find things untouched for years. It reminds me of a an old general store just Southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul where the store was just borded up one day years ago with everything still in tact. Too cool!

Post# 120193 , Reply# 8 1/4/2011 at 22:30 (5,090 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)
Checkrate/Likes Good move, Ken. I have the brown caddy and also a turquoise 12" x 7" x 7.5" h caddy box of slightly different dimensions. Even aftermarket GE Roll-Easy pink bags are scarce as hen's teeth but the original packaging was a turquoise coloured paper envelope sack. Mine have faded to a pale green but traces of the vibrant turquoise are evident. The original bag material is a buff-coloured thick crepe-paper textured paper with rather large fibres, the same material as an original Air-Way 55/66 bag. Cellulose?

Post# 120211 , Reply# 11 1/5/2011 at 01:20 (5,090 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR)
Checkrate/Likes Nice gift to yourself, Ken! And, Dave, those are great pictures of the bags.

Post# 120304 , Reply# 12 1/5/2011 at 21:09 (5,089 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Nice Find, Ken!* And the original hose, attachments, caddy, and instructions are the frosting on the cake! Congratulations Ken! Jeff

Post# 120312 , Reply# 13 1/5/2011 at 22:15 (5,089 days old) by vintagecanister ()
Checkrate/Likes *I've yet to see one of these..........* in person, so please forgive my ignorance. I noticed the toggle on/off switch in the photo showing the bag installed in the unit. Does that switch stay exposed after the cover is put back on, or is that like a master power switch of some kind? Is that view in post #10 by Dave is a side view? Also, out of curiosity, what is the appox. weight on the canister unit, or what would it been comparred to? I'm guessing maybe a Filter Queen.

Post# 120356 , Reply# 15 1/6/2011 at 07:05 (5,088 days old) by kenkart ()
Checkrate/Likes *glad you got that GE Ken!* Couldnt have gone to a nicer guy!

Post# 120194 , Reply# 9 1/4/2011 at 22:33 (5,090 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)
Checkrate/Likes Backside information.

Post# 120196 , Reply# 10 1/4/2011 at 22:47 (5,090 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)
Checkrate/Likes I like how the Roll-Easy bag is seamed in three sections to surround the motor without choking as it fills up and expands.

Post# 120330 , Reply# 14 1/6/2011 at 00:08 (5,089 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)
Checkrate/Likes *Love your signpost, Steve !* An original Roll-Easy toggle switch does stay exposed but it is less a regular flip toggle than a plated brass knobule on a spring-loaded chain. Meaning it can be flicked from any direction by toe without breaking off. A beautiful piece of switchgear, it does unfortunately stand proud of the hub and wheel rim by 1/8" so if set on end it is bent slightly askew sideways on a hard surface and can be triggered rubbing against the door frame. Many have been damaged and retrofitted with a regular shorter toggle or pushbutton replacement that eliminates the interference but then you'd have to bend down to turn it on/off. Oddly for me, I don't have a clear picture of the R-l Version 1 with the copper plating showing the switch & cord side. Here's one of a convex version 3 R-1 that shows the toggleknob shape and the cord's round insertion plug, he only vacuum I know of that has this round two-pinsocket shape. In the original convex barrelled R-1 the plug is a perfect cylinder mating with two interior pins - same spacing as any PN cable. That was changed on the convex barreled versions 2 & 3 with an added side key-way on Versions 2 & 3 to locate the pins & sockets more accurately first time in (like a radio rube base), lessening strain when forcing the plug on the socket pins. You can use a version 2 or 3 key-wayed cord on a Version 1 but not the other way around without scarring the V1 cylindrical plug. The cord can obviously be damaged if the vacuum is pulled past it's length because the tight fitting plug exits the vacuum hub at 90 degrees to the travel path. Lifting the hub handle releases latches on two central pins fixed to the motor housing and the entire wheel lifts off to change bags. The cord really has to/should be removed first. because of the large side wheels the vacuum can be flip-rotated from side to side and was, I expect, normally pulled around in this fashion. But I have one that I set on it's exhaust hub side allowing it to rotate 360 degrees in the center of the room like a swiveltop with a long hose, just for fun. The exhaust side normally vents through a felt muffler packing ring inside the wheel rim, blowing across the surface of the cylinder. Removing the hub plug closes a sliding sheath valve and directs full exhaust to the hose outlet. Clever. Weight? I'll weigh them tomorrow.

Post# 120361 , Reply# 16 1/6/2011 at 07:31 (5,088 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes I just purchased on Ebay my late Xmas present to myself - a Eureka Empress II with the tool carrier and all attachments. I'm just waiting for its arrival. It was expensive but I've always wanted one. The seller said it was rarely used as it was in a vacation home. In the pics it looks brand new. Gary

Post# 120374 , Reply# 17 1/6/2011 at 10:26 (5,088 days old) by vintagecanister ()
Checkrate/Likes *Thanks, Dave.......* These along with the Hoover Connie's are in my opinion probably the most creative designs of their era. I'm sure this can be debated as well, but..... Perhaps one day I will get to see one live! Until then, I will marvel all your's and Ken's.