Kirby 180156 Metal Insert Sleeve?

[kirbyclassiciii]

In this section of a 1959 Kirby service manual, Kirby had a metal insert sleeve (part no. 180156) that was used on some machines. What was the intent back then?

I do know it was used on the outer bag assemblies for the Janitronic, Super-Sweep and Super-Vac 180 18" super-wide commercial machines.

~Ben

 

[madman]

The way it's positioned in the picture makes it look like it's some kind of adapter to connect the emptor to the machine.

 

[vacman1961]

Ben, it is actually the sani emptor adaptor, if you look at a sani emptor, the outside casing is aluminum, the part that twists onto the vacuum is steel. I remember on some of the Omega's the glue was inefficient and the adapter would come off the sani emptor. The inside of the sani emptor had a tab molded into the aluminum and there was a slot on the adapter that would line up so it would be glued in the correct position. The glue we used was the brown 3M Kirby glue that was used to glue on the rug plate gaskets and the fan case O rings.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

vacman1961

Charlie,

Thank you! I did a good check on all my Emtors, and there it was on all of them!

~Ben

 

[texaskirbyguy]

The steel insert would wear a lot longer then having the wear on the soft aluminum. The lugs in the fan case outlet were steel also.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Comparison of Mini Emtors

Out of curiosity, I checked my 1984 Heritage II Emtor, and it has the old metal Emtor sleeve insert! (pictures 1, 2 and 5)

When Kirby redesigned the Mini Emtor for the Heritage II Legend, this metal sleeve insert was eliminated and the attaching lugs were integrated into the improved plastic casting. (pictures 3, 4 and 6)

~Ben