Unlabeled Window Fan - Dating & Manufacturer/Vendor Identification

[Isaiah Sampson]

Hello all,

Just picked up this window fan at the chain thrift store ($11). Got lucky and saw a warehouse employee rolling it into the store on a cart as I walked through the door and promptly intercepted him before he made it to the shelves.

No nameplate anywhere on this, but the motor is Craftsman (Sears), 1/6 HP. Anyone know if this was a Sears-sold model or if a distributor/manufacturer just sourced the motor from Sears?

The switch is very nifty.....you can't push the buttons for the opposite direction of spin until you have shut it off. The first time I set up a rotary knob window fan in my house, a family member tried to do exactly that. I doubt I'll ever use the run timer on this fan, though.

The motor is cast-iron, not aluminum, and the blade shaft pillow block is also cast-iron. I would be tempted to guess 1950's, except for the painted rather than stamped switch labels. Anyone got a good idea?

 

[Steve Rockwell]

Anyone know if this was a Sears-sold model

     It certainly has the distinguishing characteristics of a Homart from Sears.   Tom Zapf will know all about what you have--- he likes the ones with timers...

[David Northam]

It's a Homart. It's missing the badge which would have been on the cage right it front of the pully/blade hub. The paint on that fan seems really nice. For some reason, these fans are often trashed or the paint is terrible. For $11, you STOLE it. 🙂 

Yours has one expandable side panel for window mounting which was "standard" when buying these fans new. The fans were therefore almost always off-center when mounted in a window. For extra wide windows, you could purchase a second panel for the other side, but I've never actually seen one. I have an original owner's manual and it talks about "see your local Sears store to order the additional side panel."

The extension cord wiring seems a little crazy, but that can easily be fixed. You really got a great deal on this fan.

[Juan Varleta]

Dave is correct; you got a real deal with that! One of the most effective window fans ever made!

As Dave mentioned, there would have been a round badge right where the main pulley wheel is that said "Homart Home Cooler."  Sears sold these exclusively, from the 1950's into the sixties. Yours is at least a second generation model with and updated case, reversible feature and an optional (I believe) timer. Later models of this belt-drive beast had a squared off box fan-like case and a plastic grille and a different name.  The first iteration of this fan was sold by Sears under their "Honor Bilt" name. (Like Kenmore and Craftsman, Homart and Honor Bilt were the Sears house brands.)

Having grown up in the 50's and 60's I can accurately say Homart Coolers were everywhere. You still occasionally see them today.  I've been in the AFCA for years and have never gotten a good answer on who manufactured these fans for Sears.  Two likely suspects are Rex and Viking.  Likewise for who made the motors - Delco or Sunlight?

Edited September 27, 2024 by Juan Varleta

[Levi Mevis]

I had one of these for a while, and mine was an off white color and had the push button switch and timer like yours did but the paint job on mine was shot and I was intending to repaint it a robin's egg blue color but never got it done and the fan housing rusted to pieces so I scrapped it out, but i kept the blade, motor, switch, timer and pulleys and shaft from it, so if you need parts I have some parts if you need them.

[Isaiah Sampson]

The motor model number is 115.7757. With a little help from my favorite website in the world, the manufacturer ID is 115, which is Packard Electric.

http://vintagemachinery.org/craftsman/manufacturers.aspx

The blade turns and seems to have no play in the bearings, so I don't think I need any parts, though I appreciate the offer Levi. I'll check the motor power draw when I get the time to pull it apart for cleaning.

 

[Stan Adams]

Wow, great fan! The two screws on the blade shaft housing are to oil the shaft, they use 90wt gear grease, not 20 wt like the motor uses.

[Tom Zapf]

ISAIAH YOUR FAN IS FROM THE LATE 1950S AND HAS BEEN REPAINTED IN THE STANDARD LIGHT GREY. ORIGINALLY  IT WAS A TWO TONE BEIGE AND LIGHT BROWN COLOR.  THE TIMER IS AN AWESOME FEATURE AS YOU CAN SET IT AND GO TO BED AND IT SHUTS OFF BUT WONT RE START WITHOUT YOU RE SETTING THE TIMER SO IT WONT COME BACK ON AGAIN WITHOUT YOUR INTERVENTION . THE PUSHBUTTON SWITCH HAS A LOCKOUT SO YOU MUST PRESS "OFF" BEFORE REVERSING. THAT SAME SWITCH IS ALSO USED ON THE LATE 1950S HOMART DIRECT DRIVE 20" PACKARD POWERED WINDOW FAN . AS JUAN AND DAVE SAID THIS IS THE SECOND GENERATION WITH THIS BLADE BUT UPDATED STYLE HOUSING, (DAVE I HAVE ONE OF THE EXTRA PANELS IN THE BASEMENT) ...THIS SAME COLOR SCHEME OF BEIGE AND LIGHT BROWN WAS USED ON THE BOX AND BOX WINDOW FANS WITH PANELS, THE PACKARD DIRECT DRIVE WINDOW FAN AND THE 24" ALCOA HOMART HOME COOLER SLIMLINE ALSO...I THINK THE DESK FANS ALSO HAD THE SAME COLOR SCHEME

YOU HAVE A GREAT FIND THERE. WHOEVER PAINTED IT DID A NICE JOB ! 

[Andrew Block]

Def a Homart. For the quality, you stole it for $11. That is the "deluxe" model with reverse. Usually I find 2 speed models. 

Great fans. Give it a drink of oil in the motor and the center bearing and you're off to the races.