Claims
- 1. A feed control device for use with plumbing tools of the type having an elongated coiled spring, or plumbers' snake, and means for rotating the snake about its longitudinal axis, comprising:
- (a) two circumferentially spaced roller assemblies, each said assembly comprising a roller and a body portion adapted to rotatably carry said roller;
- (b) coiled spring engaging means for pressural engagement with said coiled spring to urge said coiled spring into driving engagement with said rollers, said coiled spring engaging means comprising a coiled spring engaging member movable from a first position wherein said member is not in pressural engagement with said coiled spring to a second position wherein said member is in pressural engagement with said coiled spring; and
- (c) carrying means for carrying said roller assemblies and said coiled spring engaging means, said means having a central aperture for receiving said coiled spring and comprising three casings circumfmerentially spaced apart about said snake for carrying said roller assemblies and said coiled spring engaging means, one of said casings having a longitudinally extending slot communicating with said central aperture and having a width greater than the diameter of said coiled spring; and
- (d) actuating means for moving said coiled spring engaging member into pressural engagement with said coiled spring.
- 2. A feed control device as defined in claim 1 in which said coiled spring engaging member comprises first and second extremities, one of said extremities being provided with a generally concave portion and the other of said extremities being engageable by said actuating means.
- 3. A feed control device as defined in claim 2 in which said actuating means comprises a manually operated assembly including a reciprocally movable member for engaging said other of said extremities of said coiled spring engaging member.
- 4. A feed control device as defined in claim 3 in which said manually operated assembly includes a manually operated cam cooperatively associated with said reciprocally movable member.
- 5. A feed control device for use with plumbing tools of the type having an elongated coiled spring, or plumbers snake, and means for rotating the snake about its longitudinal axis, comprising:
- (a) at least four roller assemblies, each said assembly comprising a roller and a boyd portion adapted to rotatably carry said roller, two of said rollers having a smooth peripheral surface and two of said rollers having a plurality of helical grooves formed about the peripheries thereof, said grooves being adapted to mateably engage the snake;
- (b) snake engaging means for pressural engagement with said snake to urge said snake into engagement with said rollers;
- (c) carrying means for carrying at least two of said roller assemblies and said snake engaging means, said carrying means comprising a housing having a central aperture for receiving said snake and comprising three tubular shaped casings circumferentially spaced equally about said snake, two of said casings being adapted to removably carry a selected two of said roller assemblies and one of said casings being adapted to carry said snake engaging means for movement therewithin from a first position wherein said snake engaging means is in non-pressural engagement with said coiled spring to a second position wherein said snake engaging means is in pressural engagement with said coiled spring;
- (d) control means for simultaneously rotating said roller assemblies within said casing to controllably vary the angle between the axes of rotation of said rollers and the longitudinal axis of the snake; and
- (e) actuating means for moving said snake engaging means from said first position to said second postion.
- 6. A feed control device for use with plumbing tools of the type having an elongated coiled spring, or plumbers snake, and means for rotating the snake about its longitudinal axis, comprising
- (a) least two roller assemblies, each said assembly comprising a roller and a body portion adapted to rotatably carry said roller;
- (b) coiled spring engaging means for engaging said coiled spring to move said coiled spring into pressural engagement with said rollers, said coiled spring engaging means comprising a coiled spring engaging member movable from a first position wherein said member is not in pressural engagement with said coiled spring to a second postion wherein said member is in pressural engagement with said coiled spring; and
- (c) carrying means for carrying said roller assemblies and said coiled spring engaging means, said carrying means having a central aperture for receiving said snake and comprising at least two roller assembly casing circumferentially spaced apart about said snake for carrying said roller assemblies, and one casing circumferentially spaced from said roller assembly casings for removably carrying said coiled spring engaging means, said one casing having a radially outwardly extending coiled spring receiving slot communicating with said central aperture and having a width greater than the diameter of the snake, whereby when said coiled spring engaging means is removed from said one casing said snake scan be radially withdrawn from said carrying means for replacement by an alternative snake.
- 7. A feed control device as defined in claim 7 including actuating means for moving said coiled spring engaging means into pressural engagement with said snake.
- 8. A feed control device as defined in claim 7 in which said coiled spring engaging means comprises a generally cylindrically shaped member carried by said one casing for reciprocal movement therewithin and in which said feed control device further includes actuating means comprising a manually operated assembly operably coupled with said cylindrically shaped member for controllably moving said member reciprocally within said one casing.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part application of copending application Ser. No. 06/571,181, filed Jan. 19, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,306.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
770079 |
Mar 1954 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
571181 |
Jan 1984 |
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