Overseas & North American Electrolux Brush Cleaners - B3, B4, B6 & Others

[paul]

So I was surfing worldwide eBay after seeing Gugue's albums on flickr and found pics of B3s, B4s, B6s, and other floor machines--both single and triple brush and even an air-powered Turbo Polisher (UK). I read that the B3 was introduced with the Model V air purifier/cleaner--don't know if there was a B1 or B2. I also discovered that some models (maybe all manufactured overseas) had different versions identified by an extra letter.

I believe the US company imported the B3s, B4s, and B6s until manufacturing its own beginning circa 1959--the B-7.

One of Gugue's captions I found especially interesting was regarding the B6: "After the steel shortage because the II War, Electrolux resorted to the cheapper moulded steel in place of the injection moulds of the previous B4. The saddest part is that it looks even older than the previous model... It used to be available specially in grayish green, as well in this metallic green from Sweden and silver, gloden beyond another colors for the local production. Its internal design is almost the same from the B4 and was the base for several floor polishers produced at that time. In Brazil Electrolux had a big headache with patent infringments by dozens of already former companies about this floor polisher, which was just utterly copied without any royalty payment for Electrolux. Some of them gone even far and named its polishers as 'Encerolux' [or] "Citylux' ... "

Here is a list of B-prefix Electrolux brush cleaners I compiled from the data I found--unsure of the accuracy or completeness, and don't know all the ones that were equipped with shampooing attachments:

*Commercial (“top-level”)--overseas designation
**Scrubber, Polisher, & Shampooer
***Single 10" Brush

B3: 1924-c.1933; (aluminum/black)
BA4: c.1934-c.1950; (black--dappled in dark green or graphite dappled in green; France—dappled in coffee brown or red); nickel-plated adornments on the triangle which are the fittings for the brush pulley bearings and another design for the bottom bumper.
BB4: c.1934-c.1950; (black--dappled in dark green or graphite dappled in green)
France—dappled in coffee brown or red); nickel-plated adornments on the triangle which are the fittings for the brush pulley bearings and another design for the bottom bumper.
BC4: c.1934-c.1950; (black--dappled in dark green or graphite dappled in green)
BA5: 1948-1953 (brushed aluminum/chrome/grey motor shroud/black bumpers); Canada
BX5: 1953-1957 brushed aluminum/chrome/tan tweed motor shroud/hickory bumpers); Canada
B6: c.1950-c.1960; (grayish green or metallic green)
B-7: c.1959-1963; (pale gray & ivory or aquamarine green); USA
**B-8: 1963-1983: (aquamarine green, tan, teal, metallic gold, brown, or dark gray); first version polisher/scrubber only; USA
B9: c.1960-c.1965; (red top/nickel base); restyled--2 brushes in front, 1 in back
**B-9: 1983-1987; (2-tone gray or sand/jade); w/cord winder; USA
**BX10: 1957-1966 (Jamaica bronze/cream); Canada
**B-10: 1987; (sand/taupe); w/cord winder; USA
B12: c.1965-c.1970; (green, silver, or metallic golden)
*B17: c.1965-c.1970; (orange/royal blue base, light gray top/chrome base, black top/white base)
B107/”Lux”: c.1965-1980s; economy; (B4-style; gray, orange, or beige Bakelite)
B18: c.1970-c.1982; plastic handle
*B19 c.1970-c.1982; (sage green top/white base); plastic handle
**B20:1966-1968; (Jamaica bronze/cream); w/cord winder; Canada
**B21: 1968-1973; (moss green/mint)'; w/cord winder; Canada
**B22: 1973-1975; (wheat/cream) w/cord winder; Canada
**B22J: 1975-1979; (harvest gold/cream or banana/cream); w/cord winder; Canada
B23: 1982-1992; (coffee brown top/orange or beige tan base, dark gray top/light gray base, or dark green top/white base); plastic handle
*B25: 1980s & 1990s
*B26: 1980s & 1990s
*B27/"Lavencera": 1980s & 1990s; (brown & chrome or polished aluminum)
**B28: 1979-1982; (chocolate/cream); w/cord winder; Canada
***B30: 1974-1980s; (orange, beige, light gray, chrome); round casing
***B31: 1980s; (orange, beige, light gray, chrome); new column and an automatic turn on/off system by raising or getting down the column
***B40: 1974-1980s; (beige, orange, white, gray and royal blue, in a glossy ABS plastic); rectangular casing
B50: 1982-1985; (almond/griege); w/cord winder; Canada
*B53:
**B63S/”Ono”/”Mundial”/”Lady Lux”: circa AB Electrolux's 90th anniversary & after; (light gray, cobalt blue, or black)
**B95S: c.1992-c.2000 (gray, dark gray, black/red, dark green, or black)



Enjoy the pics--from Gugue and eBay! 1-3: B3; 4-5: BA4; 6-7: BC4; 8-9: B6; 10-11: B9; 12: B12; 13: B107; 14: B17; 15:B19; 16: B23;
17: B27; 18: B30; 19: B31; 20: B40

 

[electrolux137]

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Wow, very cool! That's a LOT of research! My hat's off to you!!

 

[paul]

Thanks--it kept growing as I clicked and found more info. It was originally only going to be about the B3, B4, and B6.

 

[paul]

Were the B-7s the only model with two speed motors, or were the early B-8s, too--those without the shampoo function? I'm taking for granted that the higher speed was for the polishing function--is that correct?

 

[bikerray]

I have an early B8 (looks like a B7) they were single speed. As far as I know B7s were the only 2 speed. The early B8 had the cord coming out the hole that the two speed switch was in on the B7.

 

[paul]

List Revision

Here is a photo of a Canadian Model B-22 from a current eBay listing in what appears to be the banana color, so the list in the first post should be amended to indicate that the B-22 had the two different colors instead of the B-22J (wheat & banana). The B-22J is listed on Aerus's product history brochure, but cleaners are not listed individually by color or year; they're just grouped together. Anyway, I'm not sure what the difference between it and the B-22 was.

 

[collector2]

Canadian B22 (1973-1976)- made to match the AP and AP100 vacuums

 

[collector2]

Canadian B22J (1976-1977)- made to match the US Super J which was being sold in Canada because the Canadian vacuum factory was on strike.

 

[collector2]

Canadian B25 (1977-1978). Made to match the Canadian AP and Ap200 then in production. (The B22J in Reply 5 is more than likely a B25 top that has been put on a B22J base as a repair by some shop)

 

[collector2]

For some reason the picture didn't go on the previous post so here is the B25

 

[paul]

Thanks for sharing your research, Doug.

Based on your comment about the machine in Reply 5 possibly having a different motor housing I wouldn't want to bid on a Canadian Electrolux product without having someone like you verify its originality. My knowledge of them is minimal.

 

[paul]

I can't tell the color difference between the B-22J and the B-25, or were there just style or mechanical differences?

 

[paul]

On second thought, maybe the model IDs just signified where each was manufactured?

 

[collector2]

Hi Paul - if you look at the motor cover on the machines the B22J was gold to match the Super J while the B25 is yellow like the rest of the machine. That's pretty much the only difference.

 

[paul]

Hey Doug -

I always enjoy when someone points out some detail I missed. I now see the subtle difference between the 22J and 25. Thanks.

Electrolux must have known that some customers wanted color-matched machines, so they knew they were getting the current stock. What they probably didn't count on was that collectors would one day keep track of each model's traits!

 

[gsheen]

Here are some of mine

My B 6 which is a 32 volt

 

[gsheen]

The two on the right are Columbus Polishers, both the same under neath but the hoods are different. They were also sold under the Electrolux name with some slight changes, The two on the left are the vacuum cleaner versions

 

[paul]

Cool-lookoing polishers. What are the models and years of manufacture?

_________


Here are photos of a 1969 Australian Electrolux Automatic Polisher manual (no model given):

 

[paul]

List Revision #2

(on the original post) The B25 should also include the Canadian household version (see Doug Smith's replies #8 and #9).

All - If you see other omissions or errors let us know.