Cool Vintage Electric Carpet Sweeper....

[eurekaprince]

on eBay...

This must be the first ever put on the market. I guess the later version would be the GE Electric Carpet Sweeper from the 1960's...

check it out!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Davis-E...270696132200?pt=US_Vacuum&hash=item3f06bf2e68

 

[portable]

They were very strange critters. When I was growing up, you'd see them for sale everywhere, but I never knew a single soul that owned one. If I recall correctly, the insides were some kind of fiberboard.

 

[briankirbyclass]

Yeah, they were kind of a fad there for awhile, but didnt actually do much except spread the dirt around on the floor more evenly! A relative had one once, and found out it spread more dirt than it actually picked up, so it went out on the curb.

 

[eurekaprince]

The technology of "suction-less carpet-sweeping" must have improved a lot in the last few decades, because these new rechargeable Shark sweepers and "Swivel Sweepers" (and others like it) seem to actually remove surface litter these days. Consumer Reports actually rated the "Swivel Sweeper" as "good" on carpets and "very good" on bare floors...for what it's worth.

 

[portable]

Yeah, I have a Swivel Sweeper, and it's not too bad. I would never consider it a "Daily Driver" but it's OK for quick pickups of chunky stuff. It doesn't always pick things up, though.

I've always wanted to see one of those Davis sweepers in action.....

 

[nick]

they have been around since the 1940s there is one on ebay now

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270696132200&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[aeoliandave]

They are certainly much less effective than a regular Bissel

I have an Electro-Sweep that differs from the usual DAVIS. Mine does not have DAVIS molded into the Bakelite shell nor stamped on the maker plate.

It has a wood pole handle. The bale yoke is somewhat different, too, in that a short cylinder is welded to the top of the yoke to accept a smaller diameter pole.

Mine says, stamped on the motor mount plate:

Kiel Laboratory
Chicago Ill
110 volts AC only
Serial No. 1K780
Patents Pending

The toggle switch is mounted at the back of the base just like this eBay one above.

Of the 5 others I have seen every one has been a DAVIS Electro-Sweep, with a metal pole and the motor cord running inside the hollow pole up to the top. The yoke has two upright tabs that are riveted to the metal pole.

Their information (which is stamped on one of the dust bin lids) states:

Davis Mfg Co
Plano Ill
Cat. No. 1000

Other than these differences and that mine is a blackish-brown Bakelite (which is due for a waxing polish), they are all identical in construction and Streamline Teardrop design.
The shell is a one-piece Bakelite piece, with internal walls that form a base for the motor plate and a barrier to any dust being swept up & into the motor, which heat-vents through the slot openings in the top of the housing.


Yes, I had to replace my cord with lamp cord but will someday put on a cloth braided one.

 

[aeoliandave]

In order to have this shipped from Oregon, I instructed the seller to remove and discard the broken & warped wood pole but save all the hardware.

The cord hooks are thick 'L' bend aluminum with ball ends.

 

[aeoliandave]

The mechanism and action couldn't have been simpler. The motor drives a geared wheel with a crank arm attached to its perimeter that rows the double brush bar back and forth in a whisking action, supposedly into alternating collection bins.

Less effort probably to bend down with a whisk broom and dust pan to sweep up crumbs but this was intended for extended use across entire floor surfaces.

These contraptions when new may have worked fine on short nap carpets for threads and crumbs but certainly not at all effective on plusher carpets or smooth floors, as Brian says.

But Oooooh, the style! Better labour saving living through Electricity to keep Madame's complexion and nerves dewy fresh.

Al vacbear ran mine when he was here. It glides easily across carpet on metal skids and did in fact whisk up the larger particles.

 

[aeoliandave]

DAVIS Sweepers have a definite Collector Curiousity appeal.

But seriously, a mechanical rotary brush carpet sweeper works much better under all conditions.

 

[arh1953]

That's a nice selection of sweepers, such industrial art!

 

[eurekaprince]

Any idea why vac-makers never made a non-electric carpet nozzle that brushed like a carpet sweeper? Seems like an obvious combination - kind of an alternate to air driven turbo nozzles. You would just need to connect a brush roll to the wheels on the nozzle and like a good ol' fashioned Bissell, the rolling of the wheels could spin the nozzle's brush.

Any thoughts?

 

[briankirbyclass]

IF i remember right, at one time Lewyt DID have a carpet nozzle that was nothing more than a carpet sweeper with suction. Maybe the pre-curser of an electrified Power Nozzle?
Also didnt Compact (IEC) have one called a Magic Disk or something like that, that was merely a carpet sweeper? Dont know if it was hooked up to the suctions stream or not tho.

 

[aeoliandave]

Lewyt did! This ad for a 1950 Model 44. Never seen one with my own eyes.

 

[aeoliandave]

This from a C-4 manual.

Compact's Magic Disc sweeper used 4 self-rotating brushes.

'Signals when full' by 'rejecting overload...back onto the carpet'. Campact had inventive copy writers...

 

[aeoliandave]

The "wheel-free non-marking, smooth, 'Lea' finished undersurface" means the cast aluminum bottom plate is machined flat.

 

[aeoliandave]

The first edition looks like this and it is clear no suction can pass but it is sized to accept a wand.

 

[aeoliandave]

Version two of the magic Disk was 'futurized' but again, no suction.

The grid-embossed mylar trim patch is notorious for curling due to failed rubber cement adhesive. Easily removed, cleaned and stuck back down with industrial strength boot repair contact cement.

They do work but tend to track oddly with a pronounced skew across carpet; every one I've seen shows little use, if used at all. That's why so many are found intact in their boxes.

 

[portable]

Bizarre! Wouldn't it be easier to make something that worked with the operating vacuum cleaner? I wonder how many of these DIDN'T get used?