dysonman1
Well-known member
I love Air-Way upright vacuums. They were not made for a very long time, 1920 - 1940. I'm quite proud that the world's only Vacuum Cleaner Museum in St. James, Missouri, has the complete collection.
Air-Way Uprights
- Thread starter dysonman1
- Start date
Help Support VacuumLand:
dysonman1
Well-known member
The first model was very primitive. The swivel joint at the neck was extremely primitive, as was the nozzle design. The rear wheel bracket was a think black metal, not solid aluminum as it would become. Even the Indicator was primitive. The handle was comparatively short - all the rest were at least six inches longer.
This is the first Indicator, which not only allowed you to see when to stop cleaning, it was also the valve to direct the suction to the handle.
This is the first Indicator, which not only allowed you to see when to stop cleaning, it was also the valve to direct the suction to the handle.
dysonman1
Well-known member
Primitive swivel neck.
dysonman1
Well-known member
The first Air-Way rear wheel bracket. By 1922, this had changed to solid aluminum.
dysonman1
Well-known member
Since Air-Way invented and patented the disposable cellulose sanitary dust container, no other cleaner would be able to use it. Of course, Hoover tried in 1929, with the launch of their model 725, but Air-Way quickly moved to sue the hell out of them. Stealing another company's patented invention, just because your own machine belches dust, is just an admission that Air-Way did it first, and better.
This is the Indicator from the second version of the Air-Way upright. Again, fairly primitive.
This is the Indicator from the second version of the Air-Way upright. Again, fairly primitive.
dysonman1
Well-known member
By 1926, Air-Way vacuums were sold by Door to Door salesmen. Interestingly, Air-Way made Radios, Washing Machines, Ranges, and other Electrical Appliances. Even the vacuum was sold in retail stores, until Air-Way realized it's unique features needed to be explained to customers. So they got into the door to door sales business.
This is the third and final version of the Indicator.
This is the third and final version of the Indicator.
dysonman1
Well-known member
In 1928, Air-Way put the contact equalizers on the nozzle. This was a 'height adjustment' which loosened or tightened the spring tension for the wheels that the nozzle rides on. Any model with these levers, was made after 1928.
dysonman1
Well-known member
The Green Goddess. One of Stan Kann's favorites. Charles Lester and I spent more time with him than any other collector we know. I spent every Sunday for over ten years with him.
The Green Goddess had a small handle and bag, which replaced the long handle and bag, so the machine could be used like a Kirby or Royal as a hand held machine. With the Air-Way, this was called the "Junior Service". This feature debuted with the Green Goddess.
The Green Goddess had a small handle and bag, which replaced the long handle and bag, so the machine could be used like a Kirby or Royal as a hand held machine. With the Air-Way, this was called the "Junior Service". This feature debuted with the Green Goddess.
dysonman1
Well-known member
Twin Motor upright Air-Way cleaners. From left, the Chief, the Super Chief, and the Zephyr. The Chief featured the backwards turning brush roller, so it wouldn't seize the fringe on a rug. These machines featured a beater bar that wasn't a beater bar. It was a piece of steel tipped rubber that vibrated the carpet. In fact, they were called Vibrator Bars in the owners and repair manuals.
The Super Chief and Zephyr models has a rug/floor selector switch on the power nozzle motor, to stop the brush for above floor cleaning as well bare floor cleaning. Fifty years ahead of their time, no Hoover was ever a match for the Air-Way Twin Motor uprights.
The Super Chief and Zephyr models has a rug/floor selector switch on the power nozzle motor, to stop the brush for above floor cleaning as well bare floor cleaning. Fifty years ahead of their time, no Hoover was ever a match for the Air-Way Twin Motor uprights.
dysonman1
Well-known member
The Air-Way DirtMasteR. This machine had a front mounted motor, with a long belt to the twin fans in the back (where the handle pivots, at the bottom). While Singer claims to have "invented" the twin suction fan upright, they did NOT. The DirtMasteR also had a side opening for the hose, with no conversion necessary, way before Hoover "invented" it for the 150.
dysonman1
Well-known member
The world's FIRST disposable bag. Made of 14 layers of cellulose (Filter Queen cones are made of Two layers), this was also the first High Efficiency bag (filtering close to HEPA levels, in 1920). Hoover would attempt to rip off Air-Way's bag in 1929, to no avail.
hooverboy81
Well-known member
Actually they didn't...
Hoover never marketed their bag as disposable. Here's a shot from Hoovers 1929 copy of "How to Judge an Electric Cleaner". There's no mention of this bag being one time use, or disposable. It was marketed as a reusable paper bag that could be tossed after a number of uses.
Hoover never marketed their bag as disposable. Here's a shot from Hoovers 1929 copy of "How to Judge an Electric Cleaner". There's no mention of this bag being one time use, or disposable. It was marketed as a reusable paper bag that could be tossed after a number of uses.
3rdgenvacguy
Well-known member
I must have a fairly early one, old style nozzle, does have the aluminum bracket for the rear wheels, the front nozzle is early "The Air-Way", but it says sanitary system instead of electric cleaner. Any idea of what year this is?
dysonman1
Well-known member
Many times the Indicator became cracked or broken, and a new one would be sold that was used on current models. All Air-Way serial numbers are consecutive (on the uprights), if you'll provide a snap shot of the serial number plate, I can narrow it down for you.
dysonman1
Well-known member
HooverBOY81:
The Air-Way bag is also durable and made to withstand 'a number of uses', and was reasonably priced to be replaced when soiled or worn. Unlike the filthy Hoover design, the customer did not have to come in contact with the dirt, nor did the bag fill from the bottom. The Air-Way did not have to push up last week's dirt to make room for this weeks dirt. Ironic that Air-Way's disposable bag was actually invented prior to the patent application in 1915. Meaning Daniel Replogle must have been experienced with cloth vacuum bags very early on, to invent the first Sanitary way to remove the dirt from the vacuum. Too bad Hoover couldn't have come up with it on their own, but then again, Hoover didn't care. Stan Kann always bemoaned the terrible filtration on the Hoover - saying "as long as the Hoover got the rug clean, they didn't give a damn about the fact dirt was coming out of the bag".
The Air-Way bag is also durable and made to withstand 'a number of uses', and was reasonably priced to be replaced when soiled or worn. Unlike the filthy Hoover design, the customer did not have to come in contact with the dirt, nor did the bag fill from the bottom. The Air-Way did not have to push up last week's dirt to make room for this weeks dirt. Ironic that Air-Way's disposable bag was actually invented prior to the patent application in 1915. Meaning Daniel Replogle must have been experienced with cloth vacuum bags very early on, to invent the first Sanitary way to remove the dirt from the vacuum. Too bad Hoover couldn't have come up with it on their own, but then again, Hoover didn't care. Stan Kann always bemoaned the terrible filtration on the Hoover - saying "as long as the Hoover got the rug clean, they didn't give a damn about the fact dirt was coming out of the bag".
3rdgenvacguy
Well-known member
The serial # is 391262
dysonman1
Well-known member
Approximately 1924 - 1925. Right when the door to door guys were just starting selling them, and the retail stores were finishing their sales. Judging by the low serial number, it could have been sold in retail stores to the original owner.
hooverboy81
Well-known member
Dyson"man"1
Thing is, the Hoover actually got the rug clean. Several other collectors have had nothing but fantastic things to say about the Hygenisac. If your claim was the airway bag was the first hygienic disposable, why was it being reused? Does that not defeat the purpose? If so, that sort of negates your original statement. Additionally, why did airway fully abandon this design in favor of an immovable canister if it was so far advanced than any other upright cleaner on the market?
Thing is, the Hoover actually got the rug clean. Several other collectors have had nothing but fantastic things to say about the Hygenisac. If your claim was the airway bag was the first hygienic disposable, why was it being reused? Does that not defeat the purpose? If so, that sort of negates your original statement. Additionally, why did airway fully abandon this design in favor of an immovable canister if it was so far advanced than any other upright cleaner on the market?
kirbysthebest
Well-known member
Air-Way
Was a tank of a machine, well built. In it's day was very innovative. The bag cage in the cannister was "borrowed" or "cherry picked" by Electrolux and now many manufacturers use the concept.
The disposable bag an innovation that pretty much created an entirely new market for vacuum cleaners. The sale of consumables. If I remember correctly, the sales of bags was actually what kept Air-way going during the Great Depression when sales of vacuums themselves fell off.
I think the other manufacturers weren't thinking so much about the filtration abilities of the bag at that time, but more about the profit they could churn selling bags.
Was a tank of a machine, well built. In it's day was very innovative. The bag cage in the cannister was "borrowed" or "cherry picked" by Electrolux and now many manufacturers use the concept.
The disposable bag an innovation that pretty much created an entirely new market for vacuum cleaners. The sale of consumables. If I remember correctly, the sales of bags was actually what kept Air-way going during the Great Depression when sales of vacuums themselves fell off.
I think the other manufacturers weren't thinking so much about the filtration abilities of the bag at that time, but more about the profit they could churn selling bags.
