A mystery for the sleuths here..

[hoover300]

I recently picked up this Royal model 43 from Luke’s mini meet. It has a metal brushroll and no real way to change the belt other than hand strength. Also, only a stretchy white rubber belt will work, not a normal royal belt.
Anyone have any info? I’m kinda thinking prototype given how slap-dash they have the brushroll system. It even attaches the same way as a straight suction nozzle.

 

[hoover300]

 

[cheesewonton]

Gorgeous machine. Modern Kirbys should have such a well designed nozzle for airflow.

Dirt Devil hand vacs had a hollow round tool that allowed you get it under the belt, slip it over the motor shaft then turn it to put the belt on the shaft. It gave you enough leverage that you weren't using finger / hand strength to put the belt on the motor shaft. I wonder if these had something similar? If not it might not be too hard to make one out of some plastic tubing and a little patient filing.

 

[cheesewonton]

https://www.appliancefactoryparts.c...-Xo7gPiJ0RO-ao3JIxG0K2FpXS9U7VARoCUZEQAvD_BwE

 

[hoover300]

I believe the later uprights did. The issue on this is that there is no belt access hole on the front

 

[cheesewonton]

I believe the later uprights did. The issue on this is that there is no belt access hole on the front

D'oh. Head slap. The flash and reflections on the nozzle fooled me. I saw what I wanted to see, not what is there.

 

[hygiene903]

Wow! You must have gotten to work on it right away when you got home from the mini meet, it looks absolutely beautiful! It is definitely a pre-war model and probably one of Royal's first revolving brush uprights. When I first saw it, I thought it was a regular straight suction machine with what they used to call the RB nozzle. That was an option for the straight suction machines that used a suction cup/friction method of connecting to the fan shaft.
It was a pleasure meeting and visiting with you at Luke's and seeing and running some of your beautiful vintage machines. And thanks again for the model 81 Royal Junior hand vac! I believe it may be the oldest Royal hand vac I have.
And by the way, I have the plug that connects the cord to the motor of the Sweeper-Vac that I gave you. It apparently fell off in the car. If you will either PM your address to me here, or email it, or message me on facebook I will be glad to send the plug to you.
Jeff