unusual Hoover demo circa 1960

[henry200]

I'm wondering if anyone else out there has any recollection of this.   Was it an official Hoover-sponsored setup or could it have been something our local store devised on their own?


 


Back around 1960 our hardware store had a fun gismo to demonstrate the suction power of the Hoover vacuums they sold.  There was a seat, something like a porch swing which hung from some sort of hydraulic apparatus which was connected to a vacuum cleaner.  When you sat on the bench and turned on the vacuum you were hoisted up in the air. 


 


Needless to say, I LOVED to go to the hardware store with Dad, and I have a hunch the guy running the store was probably happy when we finally left.


 


Neil

 

[1066hoovers]

Was it this machine...

I have this picture of a demonstration from the 1933 fair at Chicago. Could the machine you used at the hardware store be the same one as at the Chicago fair? Maybe the guy salvaged it after it finished??

 

[hooverbaby]

Nice picture Jonathan!

I've seen about three of these American Hoover 750s (with Headlight) or similar come up for auction on US or Canadian Ebay and am half wishing that I bid on them! Perhaps I will one day add one to my collection?

I have a few of the non-headlight versions; the UK headlight models started with the 800 IIRC.

BTW I had your machines in the back of the car at the mower rally and was able to power them up via my invertor. Some of the guys were quite impressed!

Stephen

 

[henry200]

Jonathan,


 


that's more or less exactly what I remembered from my childhood.  I highly doubt the one in our hardware store was the very same equipment from the World's Fair since the store where I grew up wasn't built until around 1959, but it's amazing to find out the concept existed way back in the 1930's.  I'm sure it must have caused quite a stir and generated more than a few sales among fairgoers!