Patent Application
20080148503
The present invention relates to sewer cleaning machines and, more particularly, to improvements in sewer cleaning machines of the type having a flexible plumbers cable or snake coiled within a rotatable drum from which the snake is withdrawn and inserted into a pipe or sewer to be cleaned and by which the snake is rotated to achieve such cleaning.
Drum type sewer cleaning machines of the type to which the present invention is directed are well known and are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,468,490 to DiJoseph; U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,740 to O'Brien; U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,186 to Olsson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,422 to Siegal; U.S. Pat. No. 3,095,592 to Hunt; U.S. Pat. No. 3,134,119 to Criscuolo; U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,354 to Cooney et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,139 to Babb et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,306 to Irwin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,276 to Babb et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,588 to Rutkowski, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. As will be seen from these patents, it is known to provide a drum type sewer cleaning machine comprising a frame structure supporting the rotatable snake drum and a drive motor arrangement for rotating the drum, and to provide for the drum to be removable from the frame and drive arrangement to, for example, facilitate replacement of the drum with one containing a snake having a different diameter. It will also be seen from these prior art patents that such drum type sewer cleaning machines may include a snake feeding arrangement supported by the frame and by which the snake or cable is adapted to be axially displaced relative to the drum during use of the machine.
The present invention also relates to the art of drain cleaning tools and, more particularly, to cable feeding devices for hand held and hand operated drain cleaning tools. Hand held drain cleaning devices are also known in the art, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,076 to Rutkowski et al., herein incorporated by reference. These hand held devices using a snake or other helically wound flexible member, typically include a drum that may be rotated to thereby advance or retract the snake from the device. Typically, these devices are adapted to engage with a powered tool such as an electric drill to thereby rotate the drum in the desired manner. As the drum is rotated to thereby dispense or retract the snake, rotation is imparted to the snake. That is, as the snake is linearly displaced from or to the drum, it is also undergoing rotation about its longitudinal axis. This is beneficial as such rotation promotes the ability of the snake to travel through conduits and piping, and assists in disrupting or breaking apart blockages in the conduit or piping.
Devices for monitoring the length of cable or rod material paid out from a sewer or drain cleaning machine are also known in the art, such as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,422 to Siegal and U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,242 to Prange, hereby incorporated by reference. Both of these patents are directed to measuring the length of a cable displaced into a drain being cleaned. However, in these applications, the cable material in the sewer cleaning device is not rotated about its axis, and is not in the form of a helically wound snake. Thus, these devices do not encounter the same problems as are encountered in connection with monitoring the displacement of such a rotating snake coiled inside a rotating drum.
Accordingly, there is a need for an assembly adapted for use in a sewer cleaning machine, and particularly, a hand held drain cleaning device that readily monitors the length or amount of a coiled snake that is displaced from or to a rotating drum.
The present invention provides, in a first aspect, a drain cleaning apparatus comprising a housing for supporting a drain cleaning cable having a forward end relative to the housing. The cable is displaceable forwardly relative to the housing for inserting the forward end of the cable into a drain to be cleaned. The drain cleaning apparatus also comprises a means for monitoring the forward displacement of the cable relative to the support.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a drain cleaning apparatus comprising a cable drum rotatable about a drum axis and having an opening, a drain cleaning cable coiled in the drum and rotatable therewith, a cable guide in the drum and rotatable therewith and relative thereto about the axis, and a means for monitoring the rotational displacement of the guide relative to the drum. The cable has a forward end extending through the opening for insertion into a drain to be cleaned and displacement of the cable forwardly of the opening causes the cable guide to rotate relative to the. drum.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a cable feeding device with an indicator. The device comprises a housing defining a nose adapted to receive a flexible cable passing therethrough and a generally hollow interior serving to retain the cable in a coiled configuration. The device also comprises a rotatable guide tube defining a passage adapted to receive the cable passing therethrough. The guide tube is threadedly engaged with the housing such that upon rotation of the guide tube relative to the housing, the guide tube is linearly displaced, thereby providing indication as to the amount of cable having passed through the guide tube.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a cable feeding device with an indicator. The device comprises a housing defining an opening adapted to receive a flexible cable passing therethrough, and a generally hollow interior for retaining the cable in a coiled configuration. The device also comprises a rotatable guide cone disposed within the interior of the housing. The guide cone defines a threaded channel extending through at least a portion of the guide cone and extending centrally along an axis of rotation of the guide cone. The guide cone also defines a receiving passage adapted to accommodate the cable passing therethrough. The device also comprises a scale piston at least partially disposed within the channel defined in the guide cone. The scale piston is threadably engaged with the threaded channel of the guide cone. The scale piston slidably extends through an aperture defined in a rear face of the housing, such that upon rotation of the guide cone, relative to the housing, the scale piston is linearly displaced with respect to the housing.
The present invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangements of parts, and preferred embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
The preferred embodiment devices described herein generally comprise a housing and particularly a drum, for supporting or otherwise retaining a drain cleaning cable or plumbers snake. The cable includes a forwardmost end that is adapted for insertion into a drain to be cleaned, or other application. The embodiments feature a cable guide that is generally rotatable with respect to a central axis of the housing and/or drum. The cable guide rotates based upon the linear displacement of the cable as it is dispensed from, or retracted into, the housing. The amount or extent of rotation of the cable guide induces linear movement in an indicator member, thereby providing a visual indication of the length of cable that has been dispensed or retracted. In the two preferred embodiments described herein, the cable guide is in the form of a guide tube, and in the other embodiment, in the form of a guide cone. However, a wide array of other forms and configurations are contemplated for the cable guide.
Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention,
Specifically, referring to
The housing 110 includes a drum 112 defined along the rear region of the housing 110, a nose 116 defined along the frontward region of the housing 110, and a dispensing region 114 extending between the drum 112 and the nose 116. The cable storage member 140 is preferably located within the interior of the housing 110 and preferably within the interior of the drum 112. The cable storage member 140 includes an outer circumferential wall 142, an inner circumferential wall 144, and a rear wall 146 extending between the outer wall 142 and the inner wall 144. Preferably, a front wall 148 is also provided extending radially inward from the outer wall 142, and preferably positioned opposite from and facing the rear wall 146. It is contemplated that the device 100 may be formed so that the device is free of the cable storage member 140. In this alternative version, the drum 112 of the housing serves to directly store and retain cable 102 coiled therein.
The guide tube 150 receives the flexible cable 102 or snake, and is rotatably positioned within the interior of the housing 110 and preferably within the dispensing region 114. The guide tube 150 includes a threaded region 152, an angled region 154, and a free end 156. Preferably, the threaded region 152 includes threads defined along an outer surface of the tube 150 within that region. The guide tube 150 is generally in the form of a hollow cylindrical member having a rearwardly defined curved or arcuately extending end portion, such as the free end 156. Preferably, the frontward region of the guide tube 150 such as the threaded region 152 is rotatably engaged with the housing 110, and preferably along an interior surface of the dispensing region 114. As explained in greater detail herein, preferably, corresponding threads are provided along the interior surface of the dispensing region 114 to engage the threads within the threaded region 152 and along the outer surface of the guide tube 150.
The collar 120 is rotatable with respect to the housing 110. The collar is generally in the form of a hollow cylindrical member and defines a forward end 122 and a rearward end 124. The collar 120 is sized and positioned generally about the frontward portion of the nose 116. The collar 120 is rotatably secured to the nose 116 or other portion of the housing 110 so that the collar 120 is retained thereon yet rotatable. The collar 120 serves as a gripping region for an operator when using the device 100.
The device 200 comprises a housing 210 including a drum 212, a nose 216, and a dispensing region 214 extending between the drum 212 and the nose 216. A rear face region 230 is defined along the rear face of the drum 212. Preferably, the housing 210 is an integral, one-piece unit that includes the drum 212, the nose 216, and the regions 214 and 230. However, the invention includes multi-component housings. The cable feeding device 200 also includes a rotatable guide cone 250 rotatably mounted within the interior of the housing 210. The guide cone 250 is rotatable with respect to the housing 210. The guide cone 250 includes a front face 252, an oppositely directed rear portion 254, and an outer circumferential surface 256 extending between the front face 252 and the rear portion 254. The guide cone 250 also defines a passage or slot 251 adapted to receive and promote passage of the snake 102 through the guide cone 250. The cable feeding device 200 also comprises a rear support member 280 that provides a frontwardly disposed circular race 282 which provides support and guidance for the guide cone 250 rotatably disposed therein. The rear support 280 also defines a rear face 284 and a tapered outer surface 286 extending between the race 282 of the support member 280 and the rear face 284. Preferably, the outer surface 286 is secured to or otherwise joined to the outer surface of the region of the drum 212 at that location so as to form a generally enclosed interior for storage of the cable 102. Also included in the interior of the cable feeding device 200 is a scale piston 270. The scale piston 270 includes a front region 272, a rear region 274, and an outer surface 276 extending therebetween. Defined along an outer surface of the front region 272 of the scale piston 270 are a plurality of threads. Corresponding threads are defined along an interior surface of a channel 253 defined in the midsection of the guide cone 250. The outer surface 276 of the scale piston 270 includes a scale 275 or other indicia or markings. The scale piston 270 is slidably received by, or otherwise partially engaged with the rear support 280. That is, the scale piston 270 is linearly displaceable with respect to the housing 210 and rear support 280. The scale piston 270 cannot rotate relative to the housing 210 because the piston is keyed or otherwise coupled with the rear support 280. As noted, the scale piston 270 can rotate relative to the guide cone 250 in view of their threaded engagement, which as will be appreciated, will result in linear displacement of the scale piston 270. Upon dispensing or retraction of the cable or snake 102 from or into the housing 210 and specifically, the drum 212, the guide cone 250 rotates. As previously explained, rotation of the guide cone 250 occurs, since the guide cone “follows” the winding or unwinding of the cable 102. The threaded engagement between the guide cone 250 and the scale piston 270 causes linear displacement of the scale piston 270 relative to the guide cone 250 and the housing 210, upon rotation of the guide cone 250.
Regarding both preferred embodiment devices 100 and 200, the extent of linear displacement of the guide tube 150 in device 100, and that of the scale piston 270 in device 200, depends upon the thread configuration utilized in conjunction with those components. Preferably, the thread configuration used can be either right handed or left handed. A wide range of thread pitches can be used.
The following examples illustrate the relationship between the thread configuration used on the guide tube or guide cone, and the length of the scale. These examples are merely representative and in no way limit the present invention.
In a cable feeding device as described herein, in order to designate the length of snake cable advanced or retracted from the device using (i) 25 feet of snake cable, (ii) a 6.5 inch diameter drum, and a thread pitch of 16 threads per inch on the guide tube or guide cone, the scale is preferably about 1.125 inches in length.
In a cable feeding device as described herein, in order to designate the length of snake cable advanced or retracted from the device using (i) 25 feet of snake cable, (ii) a 6.5 inch diameter drum, and a thread pitch of 18 threads per inch on the guide tube or guide cone, the scale is preferably about 1.00 inches in length.
In a cable feeding device as described herein, in order to designate the length of snake cable advanced or retracted from the device using (i) 25 feet of snake cable, (ii) a 6.5 inch diameter drum, and a thread pitch of 20 threads per inch on the guide tube or guide cone, the scale is preferably about 0.90 inches in length.
It will be understood that the assemblies described and illustrated herein provide an indication as to the length of cable or snake dispensed or retracted based upon the rotational differential between (i) an interior member such as the guide tube 150 or the guide cone 250, that rotates based upon the formation or removal of windings or coiling of the snake within the interior of the device, and (ii) the rotation of the housing or drum of the device. That is, the indicators described herein are based upon the relative rotation between the interior member and the housing or drum. Thus, the indicators described herein can be used in devices in which (i) the cable or snake is dispensed or retracted as a result of rotating the housing, such as with a drum, (ii) in devices in which the cable or snake is dispensed from or retracted into the housing manually or by use of an ancillary cable feeding mechanism, or (iii) in devices in which the cable or snake is dispensed from or retracted into the housing, while the drum or housing remains stationary.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the structures and structural interrelationships between the component parts of the embodiments disclosed, it will be appreciated that other embodiments of the invention can be made and that many changes can be made in the embodiments illustrated and described without departing from the principles of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the present invention and not as a limitation.
