Commander Jr hand vac

[hoover300]

I got this off eBay a few months ago and I can't find any information about it. All i know about it is that it was made by birtman for sears (there is an almost identical Bee Vac version on eBay). It has a strange opening on the end of the handle which has a cutoff bolt inside it. What is this for? Any information on it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
~K

 

[huskyvacs]

It might have been an early combination upright/hand vac vacuum, where it could convert to a hand vac for furniture by removing the handle. I remember seeing another vacuum like that before, but it had a sled and handle that attached to the bottom.

 

[hoover300]

Cool! Thanks!

 

[huskyvacs]

Just a hunch. I've seen stuff like this before on eBay, but not 100% sure on it. But it honestly looks like it was designed as an upright foremost due to its large size.

 

[lesinutah]

Hey

If you think of like stick vacs today that double as hand vacs it's same logic. They look like a x without the top right portion of x. When displayed.
I know older vacuums usually have onnoff issues and those freaking fans are like wood chippers you put a finger in it's coming out frapead.
Les

 

[broomvac]

Interesting. That looks like it has an induction motor from a tabletop fan, which is strange. Almost all other vacuum cleaners have brushed motors.

 

[lesinutah]

No

Back where the red handle is has bearing plate on inside wall with bearing ala royal vacuums. Then a little bit working from red handle to the front of the vacuum. The next would be small housing for carbon brushes. There is a barrier or housing around carbon brushes. Imagine a cup with carbon brushes inside cup. Top of that cup like housing is coil which has a hole for armature. The top of the could is switch. There is a armature right in center. Bottom of armature connects to the bearing plate. The top has another bearing plate sealing motor housing. Headed to the front more is fan housing which has the fan. The fan spindle pretrudes if vacuum has brush roll. If no brush roll it doesn't petrude. If it has brush roll nozzle attaches and belt goes around armature spinning brush roll. If no brush roll the triangle hose attachment is what the housing looks like. It uses fan making it direct air.
That's how every handvac I have from 1928 to 2006.
Les

 

[rugsucker]

Hand Vac

These would most likely have been used for furniture and automobiles(both of which were dustier in the days of dirt roads and streets)as well as billiard tables(at a time of more pool halls).If you look at nozzle it would not do well on rugs if tilted up with a longer handle.