725 Design Oddities

[vintagehoover]

I'm currently building myself a semi-decent Model 725 out of about 3 scrap machines, and I noticed a couple of curious little design details which I'd like to know more about. In each case, the questions is 'What are they for, and why were they discontinued?'

1 - The vertical strips between the bristles and beaters on the agitator.

2 - The perforated end-caps on the agitator.

3 - The two holes on each side of the chassis (Also featured on my 700, but not on any later cleaners.)

Any ideas, guys? Thanks!

 

[charles~richard]

725

Have you ever seen the optional after-market (but genuine) floodlight fixture for the 700 and 725?! I had a 725 with one on it but it's long gone now. It was a circular cap that you attached to the top of the motor in place of the existing motor cap, and in the front side of the cap was a "lip" that stuck out covering the light bulb.

Then of course the 750 came with a headlight as standard equipment.

 

[vintagehoover]

No, I've never seen one of those - I'd love to, though, they sound interesting! Of course, we didn't get any headlamps over here until the 450/800/925 range came along!

 

[myhooverco]

Jack...

I am guessing (this is only a guess mind you) that the vertical strips were to help balance the agitator so that it did not vibrate as it spun. They soon figured out how to balance it without the need for extra pieces. As for the holes in the endcaps...they all seem to have 'em. It was just the way it was produced. The holes in the sides, I never really noticed before. My 700s have them and one 725 does and one does not. Again this could have just been a by product of production at the time until they figured out how to do away with it.

Oh...Charlie...the 750's headlite was optional at first then became standard fare later in production. I have seen those "caps" you mention. They look funny to me. I much prefer the built in look especially on the 800.

What are some other thoughts on these features? Does anyone know for sure why they were there or why they disappeared?

--Tom

 

[swingette]

i suspect the holes in the endcaps paired with the vents on the sides of the nozzle were intended to blow dust/strands away/out of the agitator bearings. the metal strips may have been intended to keep lightweight area rugs from hugging the agitator too much?

 

[vintagehoover]

David - I did consider what you said about the strips keeping lightweight rugs away from the agitator - certainly a possible solution, although seems odd that this feature would have been done away with as the machines got more powerful!

Could the need for caring for delicate rugs also explain the chassis holes? Could they act in the same way as the slide-valve often found on the hose-handles of cylinder cleaners to diminish suction when vacuuming delicate items? Again, seems odd they would drop this as each new model's suction power increased! And since there's no way of shutting them off, air pressure would also be lost when it was actually needed...

 

[vintagehoover]

Ah - just occurred to me: once the 750 came along, there was a lower speed for delicate rugs, so the the holes wouldn't be needed (if that is indeed what they were for!).

 

[charles~richard]

700/725/750 headlight fixture

I stand corrected on the 750 detail, surely Tom you know far better than I! How odd, really that the 750 was offered with either a headlight or not. On the other hand, the Kirby 1C and 1R were the same way --- the headight fixture was an option. I have a really nice Model C sans headlight.

Jack, on my other computer which is still down, I do have photos of that 725. Once I get it up and running again I'll post them. Remind me if I don't think to do so.

 

[vintagehoover]

Charles - is this the thing you mean? I saved this pic of this rather nice example of a Hoover Special from eBay a year or two ago, and looking closely at it, it seems to show the type of lamp you're describing - smaller than the one on the 750...

 

[vintagehoover]

This being the 750's one of course...if you compare, the one in the photo above does look much smaller...

 

[charles~richard]

I think that is it,

but it's kinda hard to tell in the photo. Once I get my Mac back up I'll be able to post photos of it.

 

[my-ellie]

Hoover Counter-Balance bars

I asked almost the same question about the vertical bars on the Hoover 700 agitator. I was told that, since there was only the one, small belt guard on the soleplate of the nozzle, the counter-balance bars (as they were called by the person who told me this) were designed to 'push' the oriental wool carpets - keeping them from being wrapped around the brush bar.

Since the machines use the 'double beater bar' on each side of the brush bar, I can't imagine the vertical lines adding anything to the 'beating' effect.

I was also told that the holes in the bearing cap were designed with the introduction of ball bearings to the brush bar on the model 541. Mike Hays showed me his 541, and the bearing caps have the same holes, although the bearing cap is smaller in diameter. Supposedly they were there (along with the hole in the side of the nozzle housing) to 'cool' the bearing.

Eventually, I guess they figured it was unnecessary to cool the bearings in the brush bar. It could also have been there (the holes on the side of the nozzle) to create a slight 'inflow' of air, keeping dirt (dust) from getting into the brush bar bearings. Next time I'm at Mike's, I'll look at his Hoovers again. Interesting question!

 

[convertible68]

Interesting observations. Both (pre beater bar) brushrolls in my Hoover "Baby" 103 and 105 have perforated endcaps and ball bearings. I was told that these were rebuilt and "modernized" at one point, as they originally used wooden bearings! Since these tufted brushrolls are of course a smaller diameter, there's no real "end" insert like the beater bars; the bearing simply fits into each end of the brushroll itself.