Page 203 - Inventions - A Visual Encyclopedia (DK - Smithsonian)
P. 203
HOOVERING IT UP A futuristic-looking
In 1907, an American caretaker called James Hoover vacuum
Handle for Spangler invented a small, portable cleaner. It cleaner, 1954
pushing
the cleaner had a rotating brush and an electric fan to
around move dust, a pillowcase to collect it, and
a broom handle to move the device
around. Spangler sold his device’s
rights to the American businessperson
William Hoover, who would build one
of the world’s leading vacuum cleaner
companies making improved versions
of Spangler’s invention.
Dust collects in this transparent AT HOME
plastic cylinder, which can be
emptied when full.
THE DYSON CLEANER
For much of the 20th century, vacuum
cleaners used cloth bags to collect
the dust, but the fuller the bags got, the CYCLONIC VACUUM CLEANER
weaker power to suck up dust became. In a cyclonic vacuum cleaner, rotating fans create a
In 1979, the British inventor James vacuum that sucks dust-filled air into the machine.
Dyson (see pp.202–203) came up The air then passes through a series of cone-shaped
with a new type of bagless vacuum devices called cyclones where it’s spun around very
cleaner, called a cyclonic fast, separating the dust from it. This dust falls into
vacuum cleaner (right). a dust collection bin, which is emptied when full,
removing the need for a bag.
The G-Force, Dyson’s first widely
Brushes at
front sweep sold cyclonic vacuum cleaner, 1990
up dust
5. Air swirls
around the smaller
cyclones, dropping
finer dust particles.
4. Air is pulled
up to the small 6. Dust-free air
cyclones through is blown out
holes in the into the room.
inner cylinder.
ROBOT CLEANERS 3. In this cylinder,
air spins around,
In the 2000s, a number of robot vacuum dropping larger 1. Air (and
dust particles.
cleaners reached the market. These devices dust) is sucked
are fitted with sensors that automatically into the cleaner
2. The pipe through a pipe.
guide them around objects, such as
carries the air
pieces of furniture, while they suck up into the large,
dust. The first one to go on sale was the inner cylinder.
Electrolux Trilobite (above) in 2001.
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