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Thread Number: 7145
Designer of the 1953 Westinghouse T-6 cylinder |
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| Post# 78986 8/21/2009 at 10:20 (5,359 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
There is so much obscure information to be gleaned from studying vintage advertisements... such as, how the first Eureka Roto-matic 800 series model became a 'Super' Roto-matic with the addition of a streamlined low profile four caster Roto-Dolly 'donut' replacing the earlier snap on caster cross brace style. The Uureka 800 series Roto-matics that take the 8" diameter 'J' bag always had four Attach-O-Matic tool clips riveted to the base. At first and as late as 1952, there were no wheels and of course advertisements trumpeted the swivel-top hose connection's feature to clean about an average room without moving the vacuum, borrowing Air-Way's lead and preceding the Hoover Constellation by several years. The first Roto-Dolly in 1953 was a simple cross brace with 4 casters that clipped to the base. But this arrangement allowed the overhanging clipped tools to get clipped again and again as the cleaner was pulled past furniture across the floor and around corners. Partway through 1955 the new improved streamlined donut-style Roto-Dolly with a rubber bumpered rim that extended beyond the tool overhang appeared, saving the tools and imparting a floating ring look with hidden casters similar to the Fairfax dolly. The Roto-Matic was now referred to as the Super Roto-Matic. In 1956 the All New 'decorator colours' yellow Super Rotomatic model 910 debuted with 'exquisite new styling' and the Style 'K' double size throw-a-way dustbag. The larger body integrated the bumper ring 4" higher up the sides and the woven hose was replaced with the new lighter vinyl coil hose. But the handy tool clips were eliminated. Solution? A colour-matched cloth girdle similar to the early Filter Queen girdle with 4 hanging pockets was provided, secured to the seam line between the lid and bucket. Another observation - 1955 seems to be the tipping point when most manufactures switched from cloth and vinyl weave to vinyl wrapped hoses, as Hoover had been doing for decades. GE, Eureka, Singer and Lewyt with it's second Big Wheel all featured the new vinyl coil hose in 1955. But what about Westinghouse? Well, The T-6, introduced in 1953 came with a vinyl coil hose, beating all it's competitors, save Hoover, to the punch. I'm not sure when Filter Queen switched to vinyl. So here we have the lovely and talented Betty Furness in 1953 explaining Short Cuts to Cleaning with the new Westinghouse T-6. Also mentioned is Raoul Lambert, well-known industrial designer of the T-6, about whom I have found no other information on Google. 
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| Post# 78987 , Reply# 1 8/21/2009 at 10:28 (5,359 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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On page two Betty explains her Betty Furness "Proof Test' Humour and Health Advisory: Please don't lick or allow baby to swallow the lead shot and wash your hands afterward. And how many women twisted their fingers locking those wands together or getting them apart ie: "Latch Locks prevent the tubes from EVER pulling apart"? Ouch! :-) 
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| Post# 78988 , Reply# 2 8/21/2009 at 10:34 (5,359 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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| Post# 78991 , Reply# 3 8/21/2009 at 10:56 (5,359 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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Speaking of Lewyt, an ad for the very first Big Wheel, the 1955 Model 77 with cloth weave hose. Note that the first Big Wheel had no 3rd wheel - it used a rubber button to prevent scraping its butt - or integrated tool rack. The hanging tool caddy and closet hose hook were optional extras. The 1956 Model 88 introduced Lewyt's vinyl coil hose and third wheel caster molding with tool holder stubs. 
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| Post# 78993 , Reply# 4 8/21/2009 at 11:16 (5,359 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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Probably the first 1955 advertisement for the improved 1955/56 Lewyt Model 88, I just love the exuberance of this WHEE Lady I call Endora. I know I fling my limbs about with wild abandon when dancing with my Big Wheels, two-wheeled or two-legged. :-) She was slightly and more realistically re-drawn and had her hairstyle toned down in subsequent 1956 magazine ads. 
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Post# 78995 , Reply# 5 8/21/2009 at 11:22 (5,359 days old) by arh1953  ( River Park, in Port St. Lucie, Florida) |
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Post# 78996 , Reply# 6 8/21/2009 at 11:24 (5,359 days old) by arh1953 ( River Park, in Port St. Lucie, Florida) |
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| Post# 78998 , Reply# 7 8/21/2009 at 11:27 (5,359 days old) by luxg () | ||
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Thanks for posting these ads Dave, they are so much fun to look at and read. Just wonder if anyone has a Lewyt 101 rug nozzle? It sure looks neat. | ||
| Post# 79003 , Reply# 8 8/21/2009 at 11:48 (5,359 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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| Post# 79009 , Reply# 9 8/21/2009 at 13:10 (5,359 days old) by kenkart () | ||
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Lewyt Nozzle I have one of those carpet sweeper lewyt nozzles, it is pretty much a gimmick, it has a strange plastic rotating brush ,that is about as big as a hairbrush. | ||
| Post# 79036 , Reply# 10 8/21/2009 at 15:51 (5,358 days old) by crevicetool (GA ) | ||
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Coral.... Yeah, I guess it is coral. Never really knew what to call it. Thanks for the postings Dave. Rick 
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| Post# 79045 , Reply# 11 8/21/2009 at 17:39 (5,358 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR) | ||
Gosh, Rick - | ||
| Post# 79074 , Reply# 12 8/21/2009 at 20:42 (5,358 days old) by crevicetool (GA ) | ||
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Thanks John, I am pretty proud of that machine. It is so rewarding when they're all done. But it takes a long time to get there! Rick | ||
| Post# 79076 , Reply# 13 8/21/2009 at 21:09 (5,358 days old) by luxg () | ||
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That sure is a beauty Rick, we all see color differently I would call it more of a mauve myself. Thanks for the information Hans on the Lewyt carpet sweeper, I had a feeling it might be just a gimmick. Terry | ||
| Post# 79080 , Reply# 14 8/21/2009 at 22:30 (5,358 days old) by camelotshadow (Valley Village) | ||
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Anyone know what year Lewyt this rug attachement is for? 
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| Post# 79082 , Reply# 15 8/21/2009 at 22:53 (5,358 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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| Post# 79083 , Reply# 16 8/21/2009 at 23:04 (5,358 days old) by camelotshadow (Valley Village) | ||
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Cool I figured it was for the old Lewyt. Now what to do with it? LOL | ||
| Post# 79085 , Reply# 17 8/21/2009 at 23:08 (5,358 days old) by camelotshadow (Valley Village) | ||
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$89.95 for a Lewyt in 55 doesn't seem like much but have to remember that was more than a months rent so its maybe equivalent to $1500 now! Cool Ads Thanks Those were the days made in Brooklyn...LOL | ||
| Post# 79086 , Reply# 18 8/21/2009 at 23:10 (5,358 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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I call my T-6's colour orchid for some reason only my rods & cones know but then mine is quite faded & pale all over. The colour seems a bit more lavender/mauve in the protected places but knowing Rick, he has the color orchid bang on. The 1950 Lewyt carpet sweeper function of the nozzle is certainly a gimmick but the marketmen were no doubt hoping the Ladies would toss the oak Bissel in the trash now they had this double duty modern nozzle which could be used for quick pickups between vacuumings. It would look quite nice on a Big Wheel, too. Lewyt always had innovative ways of engineering and styling things as witness their unique take on their first power nozzle in 1957 with the Model 107 Big Wheel. We know of the electric design flaws in the hose to inlet AC connections not quite worked out for reliable service, which lawsuits over inadvertent electric shock & awe ultimately forced Lewyt into Bankruptcy in 1961/62 (?). Here's the Model 111 Big Wheel ad as it appeared in McCalls Magazine in November 1958. Interesting claim that the motorized Electronic Beater Sweeper cleans and fluffs 'without wires or batteries'. Maybe it ran on Nuclear Dust from Miladies' Magic Atomic Wand... 
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| Post# 79088 , Reply# 19 8/21/2009 at 23:24 (5,358 days old) by hoovercelebrity (Germany) | ||
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Yeah... I'm sure the Lewyt Electronic hoses were that long... | ||
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Post# 79092 , Reply# 20 8/22/2009 at 06:53 (5,358 days old) by arh1953 ( River Park, in Port St. Lucie, Florida) |
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| Post# 79095 , Reply# 21 8/22/2009 at 07:21 (5,358 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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I noticed that too, Fred, when I was attempting to splice that ad back together, and in other Big Wheel ads. Let us say the Creative Advertisement Department was overstepping their mandate a tad using two hoses and a long lens to create those shots. "Truthiness in Advertising". The cloth woven portion of my Model 77 does measure 6.5 feet and the Model 105's vinyl hose is 6 feet between connector and handle. 8 to 10 feet would be so much more practical and useful on any pull-around or swiveltop vacuum cleaner, as Hoover did with the Ultraflex on the Constellation. The standard Variflex hose with my Model 51 cylinder (and the Junior 115 upright) is a full snaky 7 feet between connector and handle. Dave | ||
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