Vacuum Cleaner

Today my vacuum cleaner reached the end of its life. The motor changed noticeably today for the worse. The motor still runs but it labors mightily, and very noisily, so it is time to call it quits.

Normally a vacuum cleaner dieing isn't a big deal, but this vacuum cleaner has been in the family since the 1960s back in North Dakota. I'll have to check with my mother but this vacuum cleaner could be 40 or more years old. If I remember right there is a story on how my parents came to own this vacuum cleaner - but I forgot the story.

It was a Silver King brand, model AE. It was made by Thompson and Sons, Inc. out of Lyons, Illinois. The number is 199340 and I can't make out a manufacture date from that.

The dirt was sucked into the lower half below the silver band. There was no bag inside to hold the dirt. One took the top half (the motor) off and dumped the dirt out.

And yes, that is duct tape on the electrical cord. The vacuum cleaner is so old the rubber on the cord hardened and cracked and started to flake off.