HUBERT CECIL BOOTH: BIOGRAPHY AND INVENTIONS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Hubert Cecil Booth (1871-1955) was a notable British engineer, credited primarily for inventing the commonly used household cleaning instrument known as a vacuum cleaner. Likewise, he carried out other engineering works such as the design of some engines, suspension bridges, factories and wheels of fortune, also called norias.

Cecil Booth was the first to introduce society to a vacuum cleaner with a good motor. Before its invention there were already instruments that were responsible for cleaning dust particles, but they only blew or brushed dirt. That is, they lacked the characteristic absorption procedure of aspirators.

Despite the remarkable technological advances that took place during the Industrial Revolution, doing housework during the 19th and early 20th centuries was still quite uncomfortable.

At the time there was an increase in cheaper machine-made goods, allowing even the middle class to purchase carved and upholstered furniture, fringed curtains, and attractive woven rugs. However, the methods of keeping these household items clean were still archaic.

For this reason, Booth's invention meant a resounding change in the domestic life of the English, since it allowed the ease of cleaning of the household appliances most prone to dirt.

In addition, this invention contributed to an improvement in the health area, since it implied that allergy sufferers would no longer suffer from the dust and residues that are stored in the different fabrics. Today, all modern vacuum cleaners still retain the Hubert C. Booth technology principle.

Biography

Applied studies

Hubert Cecil Booth was born on July 4, 1871 in the city of Gloucester, bordering the territory of Wales. He received his primary education at the city's main school and then completed his studies at the University of Gloucester. Later, in 1889, he attended the Central Technical College located in London.

In that place he completed a three-year course with which he obtained knowledge in the areas of civil and mechanical engineering; his professor was the scientist William Cawthorne Unwin. After obtaining his diploma as an associate member within the engineering department, he decided to study at the Institute of Civil Engineers.

During December 1892 Cecil Booth collaborated with Messrs. Maudslay & Field's agency, located in London, where he participated as a civil engineer.

While associated with this office, Booth drew up the design of various suspension bridges, as well as the plans for different Ferris wheels, which were installed at fairs in major European cities such as Vienna, London, and Paris. Hubert also designed some engines for the Royal Navy warships.

Personal life and death

Not much information about the personal life of Hubert C. Booth is currently preserved. However, it is known that he was the partner of one of the daughters of Mr. Francis T. Pearce, who was known to have been the director of the Limited Company and the Priday. Hubert's spouse was named Charlotte Mary Pearce.

Booth passed away on January 14, 1955, in Croydon Township, when he was 83 years old.

Inventions

Hubert Cecil Booth made various inventions, especially in the war realm. However, the invention that made him most popular was the vacuum cleaner.

History and inspiration

In 1898 a young aspiring inventor named H. Cecil Booth attended an exhibition at the Empire Music Hall in London, where an American manufacturer was showing a new machine for removing dust; This consisted of a huge metal box that had a bag filled with compressed air at the top.

This device blew air into a carpet, causing a wave of dust and dirt to build up on top of the box.

Therefore, Booth was not impressed by this artifact, as he noticed that a large amount of dust was escaping from the box and being deposited back on the carpet. In other words, the instrument's results were poor.

Taking these observations into account, Booth decided to ask the inventor of this device about the possibility that this machine, instead of expelling air, absorbed dust. The man replied that many designers had tried, but none had been able to succeed.

First tests

After this meeting, Hubert was thinking for several days about the possibility of creating a machine that would allow the absorption of dusty particles.

About his own invention, the engineer later wrote that he had once experimented with suctioning through his own mouth, which he had leaned against the back of a luxurious seat in a restaurant on Victoria Street.

This experiment had the purpose of discovering how the action of aspirating works and then duplicating it in the machinery of the artifact.

After analyzing the possible mechanism that the vacuum machine should have to work correctly, Booth realized that the secret was to find the right type of filter bag, in order to suck in the air and trap the dust particles.

Realization of the invention

While at home, Booth placed various types of cloth on the floor, which he experimented with by using his lips and different cylinders. Finally, Hubert managed to trap the dust particles using a very narrow cloth handkerchief, which allowed the aspiration but at the same time managed to retain the specks.

Next, Booth decided to patent his suction cleaner in 1901. The first commercial vacuum cleaner was of gigantic dimensions, similar to the size of modern refrigerators. This first machine consisted of a pump, a dust collection chamber and the power unit.

At first, the vacuum cleaner had to be transported in a wheelbarrow due to its enormous size. This artifact was moved with difficulty through the streets of London from the factory to any possible place, such as an office, a theater or a private home.

Operating the cleaner required one man to direct the platform while another manned the hose, which was long and flexible. In fact, the first models of home vacuum cleaner also required two people to operate it; this role generally corresponded to the housewife or the servants.

Booth's Machine Transcendence

After the invention of H. Cecil Booth, other vacuum cleaners emerged in the United States, which occurred during the first years of the century. Some of these machines even had a design superior to those of the inventor.

In its beginnings within the American continent, this machine was considered a luxury that also required the operation of two servants.

James Murray Spangler and the portable vacuum cleaner

The idea of ​​using a portable, handy and small model vacuum cleaner, as it is known today, came from James Murray Spangler, an unsuccessful elderly inventor who suffered from severe allergies, dust being one of the main causes of his discomfort.

Due to debts, in 1907 Spangler had to take a job as a janitor in an Ohio department store. There were a lot of rugs in that store that needed to be cleaned by Murray.

For this reason, the dust that was generated when cleaning these textiles caused the inventor a great deal of coughing and sneezing, which was detrimental to his health and to his work performance. Given his financial situation, Spangler could not resign; so he began to experiment with various devices to eliminate dust particles.

Spangler's first portable vacuum cleaner was completely improvised, as it consisted of an old electric fan motor that was placed by the inventor on top of a soap box, which had its cracks sealed mediocrely with adhesive tape. For its part, the dust bag consisted of a pillowcase.

Despite the scarce and mediocre materials, this little device was a great success, so in the spring of 1908 Spangler decided to patent his invention with the financial help of some friends. After this he formed an electric suction sweeping company.

Although the inventor had already obtained his own company, his finances had not improved. However, he managed to sell a cleaner to Susan Hoover, who at the time was a wealthy woman, the wife of a famous executive. From then on James Murray Spangler finally began to benefit from his invention.

Thanks to the invention of Hubert Cecil Booth at the beginning of the 20th century, it was possible to advance decisively in specialized cleaning machinery. His vacuum cleaner, both industrial and home, allowed a notable improvement in the hygiene of offices, factories and homes.

References

1. Bookrags (nd) "Encyclopedia of World Biography on Hubert Cecil Booth." Retrieved on November 19, 2018 from Bookrags: bookrags.com
2. Curiosphere (nd) "History of the vacuum cleaner." Retrieved on November 19, 2018 from Curiosfera: curiosfera.com
3. Larrechi, A. (2013) "Who invented the vacuum cleaner?" Retrieved on November 19, 2018 from Blue BBVA: bluebbva.com
4. López, A. (2018) "Hubert Cecil Booth, the engineer who gave prestige to cleaning by inventing the vacuum cleaner" Retrieved on November 19, 2018 from the newspaper El País: elpais.com
5. El Comercio (nd) "Google celebrates Hubert Cecil Booth, inventor of the vacuum cleaner with a doodle." Retrieved on November 19, 2018 from El Comerio: elcomercio.pe