What make: that vintage fridge that floated using vacuum cleaner

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

It's called the Frigidaire "ride-aire" It installs on the bottom of your Frigidaire refrigerator, and when you need to move the 'fridge, hook up the hose on your vaccuum to the exhaust side, turn it on, and float your fridge out to clean behind it, etc.

I have a brand new still in the box RideAire in the basement.

kennyGF
 
1965 Moving a 500-lb. refrigerator has never been easier. That is, if the refrigerator is equipped with a “Ride Aire” flotation device. Frigidaire Products of Canada has applied this air-bearing, low-pressure flotation device to its new line of refrigerators. Air pres-sure to operate the air bearing is supplied by attaching the blower hose of an ordinary vacuum cleaner to a vinyl sleeve behind the base plate of the refrigerator. Air is forced through a lifting pad, forming an air cushion between the unit and the floor, enabling the refrigerator to be virtually “floated’ across the floor. The device is designed to keep the refrigerator level at all times.


1-6-2009-14-58-20--qsd-dan.jpg
 
Yes, very neat website!

One thing caught my eye, and was interesting since we have discussed it here in the group, appliance makers knew early as the 1950's that if they built quality products, consumers did not or would not purchase new for ten or more years. So to stimulate sales they wanted to or in some cases started to take page from automobile makers, and push consumers to "trade up" models every few years.

Of course this didn't always work and consumers then still demanded value for money. However today we mostly have the result. Major appliances by and large do not last even 5 years on average before either requiring repair that exceeds or at least equals cost of buying new, or simply cannot be repaired due to design, and are junked.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top