What Are These Antique Attachments?

[bagintheback]

Can anybody identify this mystery bagged central vac nozzle? I just found this on getty images. It was taken at the Astor Hotel in NYC sometime in the "mid-1900s". It looks like there are four hoses in use. The woman is using a classic carpet nozzle but the man has a completely different hose grip and an attachment I've never seen before. Maybe it's a motor from a portable vacuum to boost airflow? But then why would it need a dust bag? Then there's also a box (under the getty watermark) that's connected to a hose. Prehaps an early air purifier? Extremely interesting and something I've never seen before.

 

[blackheart]

Huh.....

Unlikely but it reminds me of a compressed air/ venturi vacuum. That handle grip makes me think it may be a possibility perhaps utilizing the exhaust of the unit to clean in addition to the suction?

 

[kirbyman65]

I was thinking the same thing

here's a good example.

 

[centralvacs1928]

I remembered seeing in my copy of "Vacuum Cleaning Systems" a reference to a compressed-air carpet renovator with an external bag and thumbed through the book just now.

Lo and behold it mentions the Hotel Astor specifically as having had an installed compressed-air cleaning system! See above the drawing in the second photo.

The lady is clearly operating a suction nozzle, so somehow both suction and compressed-air devices seem to be in use here.

Cool picture! I saved it.

 

[bagintheback]

Wowwww exactly what we were looking for!!!! I didn't know those existed until now. Thank you all for your help.

 

[huskyvacs]

Yes, pneumatic cleaning vacuum, Blow air onto the floor and then have the machine suck it up.

Looks like this was a demonstration between "the old way and the new way" and they were doing some kind of product review or op-ed that must be lost to time.

This photo is actually rather creepy, it's so dark and informal, and not like any other photos I've seen of the time.