My twin motor Columbus find

[gsheen]

Found this Columbus Cyclone 50 vacuum on gumtree lately.

They are made by Soteco of Italy and they are probibly the worlds biggest manufactures of wet and dry vacuums.

When I was in Junior school they had one of these but with the metal tank. I loved the orange top and the two switches that glowed.

This is a twin motor unit featuring two double stage by pass motors. It has a simple yet effective plate system that allows either motor to be run seperatly without losing suction through the one that is not working.

I used it for a quick garage clean up before i cleaned it up

 

[suckolux]

Impressive, thanks for sharing

 

[gsheen]

Thank you.

So i stripped it down to clean it and show you guys what it looks like

Top cover off revealing the cooling fans of the two motors.

By the way this machine can take 3 motors in total

 

[gsheen]

Further down into the machine.

 

[rugsucker]

Columbus and ??

Nice Columbus.What is in background of photo 2 above (tall,white,bottom shelf) ?I have seen pictures of an Alemite garage/service station vac of about the 30s that would have had a white cabinet and chrome trim to match other Alemite equipment such as front end alignment racks.The Alemite items seemed to be white to improve the image of garages as dark and dirty.If this is a vac,could it be similar.I think the one I have seen was tapered.Or is it a washer or other?

 

[suckolux]

Impressive machine, thanks for the inside look

 

[rolls_rapide]

"What is in background of photo 2 above...?"

It is a single tub, HOOVER wringer washer.

 

[rugsucker]

Hoover washer

Thought it might be but as it was with vacs I was hoping it might be similar to the Alemite that I have only seen one picture of(without hose or atts).I have or have seen examples of many typical round commercial vacs but never one like the white Alemite with the chrome strips.

 

[tolivac]

Nice WD vacuum!!!I have a NuTone CV450 that has twin motors.Never seen a vacuum that has provisions for three motors!Does this machine run off 220-240V?

 

[gsheen]

Yes that is the standard power here 220-240v .

The whole idea of 3 motors is not that you would use all 3 at once but rather when you are on a site cleaning up, for example Allot of these machines are used for cleaning up after stripping of large factory floors, and one motor fails you can still continue with two and get the job done

 

[gsheen]

Here is the base

 

[tolivac]

Great idea-use the 3rd motor as a spare.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Your mentioning of cleaners with two or more motors reminded me of this story.



http://https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutty_Sark#Conservation_and_fire