Drain cleaning machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11021859-B2
Application number	US-201916535321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2019
Priority date	Aug 10, 2018
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A drain cleaning machine for moving a snake in a drain includes a rotating shell, a motor to rotate the rotating shell, and a radial drive mechanism coupled for rotation with the rotating shell and including a plurality of collets. The radial drive mechanism is switchable between an engaged state in which the one or more collets move toward a snake axis to engage the snake, and a disengaged state. A translate mechanism is coupled for rotation with the rotating shell and includes a plurality of wheels. The translate mechanism is switchable between an engaged state in which the wheels move toward the snake axis to engage the snake, and a disengaged state. A selection mechanism is configured to switch the radial drive mechanism from the disengaged state to the engaged state and configured to switch the translate mechanism from the disengaged state to the engaged state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drain cleaning machine for moving a snake in a drain, the drain cleaning machine comprising:
a rotating shell;
a motor switchable between an activated state, in which the motor rotates the rotating shell about a snake axis along which the snake is configured to be arranged, and a deactivated state;
a radial drive mechanism coupled for rotation with the rotating shell and including a plurality of collets, one or more of the collets being moveable toward the snake axis, the radial drive mechanism switchable between an engaged state, in which the one or more of the collets move toward the snake axis to engage the snake, and a disengaged state, in which the one or more of the collets move away from the snake axis;
a translate mechanism coupled for rotation with the rotating shell and including a plurality of wheels, one or more of the wheels being moveable toward the snake axis, the translate mechanism switchable between an engaged state, in which the one or more of the wheels move toward the snake axis to engage the snake, and a disengaged state, in which the one or more of the wheels move away from the snake axis; and
a selection mechanism configured to switch the radial drive mechanism from the disengaged state to the engaged state and configured to switch the translate mechanism from the disengaged state to the engaged state,
wherein when the radial drive mechanism is switched to the engaged state by the selection mechanism, the translate mechanism is in the disengaged state,
wherein when the translate mechanism is switched to the engaged state by the selection mechanism, the radial drive mechanism is in the disengaged state,
wherein when the radial drive mechanism is in the engaged state and the rotating shell rotates about the snake axis, the collets engage the snake to rotate the snake about the snake axis, wherein when the translate mechanism is in the engaged state and the rotating shell rotates about the snake axis, the wheels engage the snake to move the snake along the snake axis,
wherein the selection mechanism includes an actuating lever moveable between an activated position and a deactivated position, a selection plate moveable between a radial drive position and a translate position, and a push plate,
wherein the push plate is moveable toward the selection plate in response to the actuating lever moving to the activated position, and is moveable away from the selection plate in response to the actuating lever moving to the deactivated position,
wherein when the selection plate is in the radial drive position and the actuating lever is moved to the activated position, the push plate moves toward the selection plate to switch the radial drive mechanism to the activated state, and
wherein when the selection plate is in the translate position and the actuating lever is moved to the activated position, the push plate moves toward the selection plate to switch the translate mechanism to the activated state.

2. The drain cleaning machine of claim 1 , wherein the motor is switched to the activated state in response to movement of the actuating lever to the activated position.

3. The drain cleaning machine of claim 1 , further comprising a linkage member coupling the actuating lever to the push plate, the linkage member configured to move the push plate toward and away from the selection plate in response to the actuating lever moving between the activated and deactivated positions.

4. The drain cleaning machine of claim 1 , wherein the push plate has a first aperture and a second aperture,
wherein the selection plate supports a first pin and a second pin,
wherein when the selection plate is in the translate position, the first aperture is not aligned with the first pin and the second aperture is aligned with the second pin such that in response to the actuating lever being moved to the activated position, the push plate moves the first pin through the selection plate to switch the translate mechanism to the activated state while the second pin slips through the second aperture of the push plate as the push plate moves relative to the second pin, and
wherein when the selection plate is in the radial drive position, the first aperture is aligned with the first pin and the second aperture is not aligned with the second pin such that in response to the actuating lever being moved to the activated position, the push plate moves the second pin through the selection plate to switch the radial drive mechanism to the activated state while the first pin slips through the first aperture of the push plate as the push plate moves relative to the first pin.

5. The drain cleaning machine of claim 4 , further comprising a first thrust assembly and a first push rod, wherein the translate mechanism includes a push cone and a plurality of wheel collets, each wheel collet supporting at least one of the plurality of wheels, and wherein when the selection plate is in the translate position and the actuating lever is moved to the activated position, the first pin pushes first thrust assembly, the first push rod, and the push cone toward the plurality of wheel collects such that the wheel collets and the wheels are moved toward the snake axis.

6. The drain cleaning machine of claim 5 , further comprising a second thrust assembly and a second push rod, and wherein when the selection plate is in the radial drive position and the actuating lever is moved to the activated position, the second pin pushes the second thrust assembly and the second push rod toward the one or more moveable collets of the radial drive mechanism such that the one or more collets are moved toward the snake axis.

7. The drain cleaning machine of claim 6 , wherein the first pin is arranged in a first bore of the first thrust assembly, the first push rod is arranged in a second bore of the first thrust assembly, the second pin is arranged in a first bore of the second thrust assembly, and the second push rod is arranged in a second bore of the second thrust assembly.

8. The drain cleaning machine of claim 7 , wherein the first push rod is biased away from the push cone, and wherein the one or more moveable collets are biased away from the snake axis and toward the second push rod.

9. The drain cleaning machine of claim 1 , further comprising a snake outlet through which the snake is configured to be moved into the drain, wherein the selection mechanism includes a selection collar arranged on the snake outlet, and wherein the selection collar configured to move the selection plate between the radial drive position and the translate position.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Reed Michael C
• Miller Justin
• Krohlow Samuel J
• Kehoe Sean T

Classifications

• B08B9/045 Primary

  the cleaning devices being rotated while moved {, e.g. flexible rotating shaft or "snake"}(B08B9/047 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E03C1/302 Primary

  using devices moved through the pipes {(and simultaneously rotated by means of a cable or rods E03F9/005)} · CPC title

• E03F9/005

  Apparatus for simultaneously pushing and rotating a cleaning device carried by the leading end of a cable or an assembly of rods · CPC title