The first one looks more like it's using the sink as a method of disposal versus a water filter; I believe you can still buy a sort of whole-house wet-dry vac that operates on this principle, being much more convenient inasmuch as it's permanently plumbed in. On that unit, at least, you have to (in theory) empty a sort of sock that fills up with things too large to go down the drain. It seemed to be marketed to extreme neat-freaks, but at the same time it seemed also like a really interesting concept. It could be used to pick up wet spills and even had a set of attachments that turned it into a carpet shampoo-er! The above-pictured unit may be the inspiration for the modern machine.
Speaking of unusual inbuilt vacuums, I was once given a photocopy of a magazine article that talked about household utilities, and it mentioned houses built by the local gas company in certain areas, where everything in the house that could be was gas-fired -the stove, the water heater, the furnace, even the 'fridge and air conditioner used gas power. Strangest of all, though, was the gas-powered vacuum cleaner, which used the draw of a gas flame to create suction and actually incinerated whatever you picked up with it!
