Can anyone help with this Shetland floor polisher?

[d-jones]

I know it's kind of a long shot, but here goes. My grandmother gave this machine to my parents back in the early seventies shortly after they bought their house with all of it's hardwood floors. It arrived just as you see it, in used condition. What remains of it is in pretty good shape, and it still works after all these years. Obviously there's a missing tank of some kind that would have attached to the fittings seen behind the handle, and that's what I'd like to find out about. Has anyone here ever seen a machine like this before? Is there a source of parts out there somewhere, or perhaps a manual of some kind?

I've searched the internet and eBay already, and though I've found a few things here and there, nothing really matches this machine. The handle says SHETLAND on it, but underneath at the base, just above the brushes it says "Signal MFG Salem Mass Model 1A-15". Then it goes on to say that in correspondence one should refer to 10-62114. I've had no luck with any of that info, so I thought I'd give the board a try. As I mentioned earlier, I know it's a long shot. But I've been surprised by the knowledge people here have in the past on many occasions, and on some pretty obscure machines, so it's worth a try.

Here's a good overall view of it with the upper and lower tank fittings clearly visible. Any thoughts?

 

[danemodsandy]

Missing Tank:

It was almost certainly a shampoo tank; by this time, most floor polisher manufacturers had moved away from units that only polished, to increase consumers' perception of value. It's also important to remember that "steam" (actually hot-water extraction) units for the home hadn't yet been invented - shampooer-polishers were the main home method for cleaning carpets.

The way these worked was: Shampoo solution was put in the tank, and a set of shampoo brushes fitted to the unit. You went over the carpet, using a trigger to release shampoo as you scrubbed with the brushes. You then let everything dry, and vacuumed the carpet to get up the residue of shampoo suds that supposedly held the carpet's soil in suspension.

I think a post over at Vacuumland is going to be the most productive means of finding a tank; those guys can find some really rare stuff. Aerus and a couple of other manufacturers still make this kind of polisher-shampooer, so the shampoo is still available.

Hope something in here halps a little.