Kirby Attachment Designs Through the Years

[kirbyclassiciii]

If there is anything that I have seen on Kirby attachment designs through the years, is that since the time of the Kirby Classic Omega, the hose seemed to be redesigned so that the couplings were machined tightly (in addition to the tool connection having holes and the coupler having a longer attaching lug for the safety switch lever) so that removal of them is only done by Kirby dealers. True?

The same is also said for the Surface Nozzle, which seems to have its swivel tube tightly machined to the nozzle body. True? I know, because I can remove the swivel tube from the body on the pre-Omega surface nozzle, but not on those afterward (including my Classic III's surface nozzle).

~Ben

 

[briankirbyclass]

Ben, i have owned practically every Kirby before and after the Omega, including the Omega, and i think the Omega was the last of the Kirby's to have a METAL nozzle end on the swivel tube, but as far as i can remember, they all came apart from the surface nozzle wheather, plastic or metal.
I know my original Classic 3 had a plastic tube, and came apart from the surface nozzle, and so did my Tradition,, Heritage and Heritage 2. I remember being sort of disapointed that they had started to make the nozzle end plastic, as i felt it cheapened up the attachments, and made them less secure and more flimsy.

Speaking of the Surface Nozzle, i believe the original large surface nozzle was by far superior to the G series nozzle with the rollers. It got into the corners and crevaces better and easier, and did a better job on low piled carpets, and bare floors. Imho, of course.

 

[jfalberti]

I have an Omega

With its original attachments and the swivel for the floor nozzle is plastic. Here are some pictures of them. The first is the attachment case.

 

[jfalberti]

This

Is the floor nozzle and swivel joint connected.

 

[jfalberti]

Here they are

Separated. I had a Classic III and a Tradition and the only difference between the attachments between the three of them is the color. If you can't separate the swivel joint from your floor nozzle, then someone must have twisted them together too tightly.

Joe

 

[jfalberti]

It is possible

That the early Omegas may have had a metal tube on the swivel that was changed to plastic during its run. I have also heard that the early Omegas had a Classic two button safety/speed switch that was changed mid run to the newer style. Don't know for sure, but that's what I heard.

Joe

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

The early 1974 running changes for the Omega also meant that the tool end of the hose and the extension wands and the surface nozzle's swivel tube were given holes so that the eyes and ears of children wouldn't be affected by the tremendous suction. That in addition to the longer right attachment lug to accommodate the new-style safety switch (#134374).

Prior to the Omega, the universal coupler used on all Kirby hoses since 1963 had identical attachment lugs on them; to me they appear to be the same length to accommodate the older-style single-speed safety switch, despite the Dual Sanitronic 50 being the first Kirby to have a two-speed motor.

I wonder if Kirby had made changes to the Dual Sanitronic 50's hose coupler lugs (the right one in particular) to accommodate the original two-speed safety switch (#134365) used up to the first batch of Omegas?

~Ben

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Kirby Sanitronic series hose. I wonder how this design would have went with the original 2-speed safety switch if the attachment lugs are the same length?

~Ben

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Kirby Classic Omega Hose (Mid-1974)

Kirby Classic Omega hose, after the redesign in early 1974. Note the holes have been added on the tool end (metal). The same was also done for the tapered ends of the extension wands and the surface nozzle's swivel tube.

 

[marks_here]

Back in 1973

We had a 562 with the metal coupler before the plastic ones were made for the Sanitronic VII & my neightbor had a Classic but couldn't find her hose so I went home to get mine from the 562 and it worked fine. I know they won't work on the Omega's because of the safety switch set up.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

I am wondering if anyone here remembers whether or not there were any Kirby hoses produced after 1974, with the longer squared-off right attachment lug (safety switch), that were available in sirocco (562/VII/D50), green (D80) and milk chocolate (1CR)?

~Ben