Claims
- 1. A spring feeding mechanism for use with plumbing tools of the type having an elongated coiled spring wire, or plumber's snake and means for rotating the snake about its longitudinal axis, comprising:
- (a) snake engaging means movable into and out of driving engagement with the snake for feeding the snake axially of itself; said means comprising:
- (1) first and second hingeably interconnected jaws movable from a first open position to a second closed position proximate the snake;
- (2) a pair of feed rollers, rotatably carried by said second jaw;
- (3) at least one feed roller rotatably carried by said first jaw, each of said feed rollers being adapted to rotate about an axis disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the snake and each having helical grooves formed therein adapted to operably engage the coils of the snake when said jaws are in said second position so as to urge axial movement of said snake relative to said feed rollers; and
- (b) latching means operably coupled with said snake engaging means for moving said first and second jaws from said first position to said second position and for latching saw jaws together in said second closed position, said means including biasing means for yieldably urging against separation of said jaws while at the same time being responsive to forces opposing axial feeding of the snake so that said feed rollers will automatically move out of driving engagement with the snake in response to such forces.
- 2. A spring feeding mechanism as defined in claim 1 in which said latching means comprises:
- (a) an elongated member pivotally connected proximate one end thereof to one of said first and second jaws;
- (b) engaging means carried by said elongated member for axial movement with respect thereto, said engaging means being adapted to lockably engage said other of said first and second jaws when said jaws are in said second position;
- (c) adjustment means carried by said elongated member proximate the free end thereof for adjusting the force exerted by said biasing means in urging against separation of said jaws.
- 3. A spring feeding mechanism as defined in claim 2 in which said biasing means comprises an elongated coil spring received over said elongated member, one end of said coil spring being adapted to operably engage said engaging means and the other end being adapted to operably engage said adjustment means.
- 4. A spring feeding mechanism as defined in claim 3 in which said adjustment means comprises a handle threadably connected to said elongated member.
- 5. A spring feeding mechanism as defined in claim 1 in which said snake engaging means further comprises roller positioning means for positioning said rollers within said jaws, said means comprising a roller housing and an axle member carried by said housing about which said roller rotates, said axle member being adapted for limited movement within said housing whereby when said jaws are in said closed position said rollers can adjust to the angular orientation of the coils of the snake.
- 6. A spring feeding mechanism as defined in claim 5 in which said second jaw is provided with a pair of spaced apart openings each of which is adapted to removably receive one of said roller positioning means and in which said first jaw is provided with a centrally disposed opening adapted to removably receive one of said roller positioning means.
- 7. A spring feeding mechanism for use with plumbing tools of the type having an elongated coiled spring wire, or plumber's snake and means for rotating the snake about its longitudinal axis, comprising:
- (a) first and second jaws hingeably interconnected at one end and having mating portions located proximate their free ends, each of said jaws having at least one recessed opening formed therein intermediate its ends;
- (b) a feed roller assembly removably receivable in each of said recessed openings in said jaws, each said roller assembly comprising:
- (1) a helically grooved roller;
- (2) a housing adapted to house said roller; and
- (3) an axle supported within said housing adapted to rotatably support said roller for rotating about an axis disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the snake; and
- (c) latching means for moving said first and second jaws from a first open position wherein said mating portions are spaced apart to a second closed position wherein said mating portions are in close proximity and for latching said jaws together in said second closed position, said means including biasing means for yieldably urging against separation of said mating portions while at the same time being responsive to forces opposing axial feeding of the snake so that said feed rollers will automatically move out of driving engagement with the snake in response to such forces.
- 8. A spring feeding mechanism as defined in claim 7 in which said latching means comprises:
- (a) an alongated member pivotally connected proximate one end thereof to said free end of one of said first and second jaws;
- (b) an elongated coil spring receivable over said elongated member;
- (c) a collar associated with said elongated member for axial movement with respect thereto; and
- (d) adjustment means connected to said elongated member to compress said coil spring against said collar.
- 9. A spring feeding mechanism as defined in claim 8 in which said free end of said other of said first and second jaws is provided with a slot adapted to receive said elongated member, whereby when said jaws are in a closed position said elongated member is receivable in said slot to bring said collar into pressural engagement with said one of said first and second jaws.
- 10. A spring feeding mechanism for use with plumbing tools of the type having an elongated coiled spring wire, or plumber's snake and means for rotating the snake about its longitudinal axis, comprising:
- (a) first and second jaws hingeably interconnected at one end and having mating portions located proximate their free ends, one of said mating portions having a slot formed therein and each of said jaws having at least one recessed opening formed therein intermediate its ends;
- (b) a feed roller assembly removably receivable in each of said recessed openings in said jaws, each said feed roller assembly comprising:
- (1) a helically grooved roller;
- (2) a housing adapted to house said roller; and
- (3) an axle supported within said housing adapted to rotatably support said roller for rotation about an axis disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the snake; and
- (c) latching means for moving said first and second jaws from a first open position wherein said mating portions are spaced apart to a second closed position wherein said mating portions are in close proximity and for latching said jaws together in said second closed position, said latching means comprising:
- (1) an elongated member pivotally connected proximate one end thereof to said free end of one of said first and second jaws, said member being receivable in said slot formed in said other of said first and second jaws when said jaws are in a closed position;
- (2) an elongated coil spring receivable over said elongated member;
- (3) a collar receivable over said elongated member, said collar being interconnected with said coil spring and being movable axially along said elongated member; and
- (4) adjustment means connected to said elongated member for compressing said coil spring against said collar.
- 11. A spring feeding mechanism for use with plumbing tools of the type having an elongated coiled spring wire, or plumber's snake and means for rotating the snake about its longitudinal axis, comprising:
- (a) snake engaging means movable into and out of driving engagement with the snake for feeding the snake axially of itself; said means comprising:
- (1) first and second hingeably interconnected jaws movable from a first open position to a second closed position proximate the snake;
- (2) a pair of feed rollers, rotatably carried by said second jaw;
- (3) at least one feed roller rotatably carried by said first jaw, each of said feed rollers being adapted to rotate about an axis disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the snake and each having helical grooves formed therein adapted to operably engage the coils of the snake when said jaws are in said second position so as to urge axial movement of said snake relative to said feed rollers; and
- (b) latching means operably coupled with said snake engaging means for moving said first and second jaws from said first position to said second position and for latching said jaws together in said second closed position, said latching means including:
- (1) an elongated member pivotally connected proximate one end thereof to said free end of one of said first and second jaws, said member being receivable in said slot formed in said other of said first and second jaws when said jaws are in a closed position;
- (2) a lower collar receivable over said elongated member said collar having an upper and lower surface and being movable axially of said member;
- (3) an upper collar receivable over said elongated member, said collar having an upper and lower surface and being movable axially of said member;
- (4) biasing means disposed intermediate said upper and lower collars for urging separation therebetween; and
- (5) actuating means for urging said upper collar toward said lower collar against the urging of said biasing means.
- 12. A spring feeding mechanism as defined in claim 11 in which said actuating means comprises:
- (a) an elongated lever handle; and
- (b) cam means associated with said lever handle for engaging the upper surface of said upper collar upon vertical movement of said lever handle to impart movement to said upper collar in a direction toward said lower collar.
- 13. A spring feeding mechanism as defined in claim 12 in which said actuating means further comprises an internally threaded member rotatable with said lever handle and adapted to be threadably received over said elongated member upon rotation of said lever handle.
- 14. A spring feeding mechanism as defined in claim 13 in which said actuating means further includes stop means for limiting the degree of rotation of said internally threaded member relative to said elongated member.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending application Ser. No. 126,210, filed Mar. 3, 1980, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
770079 |
Mar 1957 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
126210 |
Mar 1980 |
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