Drain cleaner with drum exchange mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018282991-A1
Application number	US-201715478574-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 4, 2017
Priority date	Apr 4, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A drain cleaner including a rotatable drum, a cable at least partially housed within the drum, and a body supporting the drum. The body includes a first housing and a second housing. The first housing and the second housing are movable relative to one another between a closed position, in which the drum is secured to the body, and an open position, in which the drum is removable from the body.

First claim

1 . A drain cleaner comprising:
a rotatable drum; a cable at least partially housed within the drum; and a body supporting the drum, wherein the body includes a first housing and a second housing movable relative to one another between a closed position, in which the drum is secured to the body, and an open position, in which the drum is removable from the body.

2 . The drain cleaner of claim 1 , wherein drum is positioned between the first housing and the second housing of the body when the body is in a closed position.

3 . The drain cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the first housing includes a motor and the second housing includes a cable feed mechanism.

4 . The drain cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the second housing is rotatable relative to the first housing to move the body between the closed position and the open position.

5 . The drain cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the second housing is slidable relative to the first housing to move the body into an intermediate position between the closed position and the open position.

6 . The drain cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the first housing includes a channel and the second housing includes a projection, the projection movable within the channel as the second housing moves relative to the first housing.

7 . The drain cleaner of claim 6 , wherein the channel includes a linear portion and a circular portion, the projection configured to slide within the linear portion and the projection configured to rotate within the circular portion.

8 . The drain cleaner of claim 7 , wherein the second housing includes a stopper, the stopper configured to slide within the channel with the projection and the stopper engagable with a wall of the channel to prevent rotational movement of the second housing with respect to the first housing.

9 . The drain cleaner of claim 8 , wherein the first housing includes a recess formed in the wall adjacent the channel, and wherein the second housing is rotatable relative to the first housing when the stopper is aligned with the recess.

10 . A drain cleaner comprising:
a rotatable drum; a cable at least partially housed within the drum; a body supporting the drum, the body including a first housing and a second housing, the first housing and the second housing movable relative to one another between a closed position, in which the drum is secured to the body, and an open position, in which the drum is removable from the body; and a release mechanism disposed on the first housing and the second housing to control relative movement of the first housing and the second housing.

11 . The drain cleaner of claim 10 , wherein the drum release mechanism is actuable to selectively lock and unlock the body, wherein the first housing is movable relative to the second housing when the body is unlocked, and wherein the first housing is fixed relative to the second housing when the body is locked.

12 . The drain cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the second housing is rotatable relative to the first housing when the body is unlocked.

13 . The drain cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the drum release mechanism includes a latch, the latch positioned on the first housing and configured to selectively engage the second housing to lock the body.

14 . The drain cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the drum release mechanism includes an actuator, the actuator actuable to disengage the latch from the second housing.

15 . The drain cleaner of claim 14 , wherein the second housing is slidable relative to the first housing while the actuator is being actuated.

16 . The drain cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the body is unlocked when the second housing is slid away from the first housing.

17 . A drain cleaner comprising:
a rotatable drum; a cable at least partially housed within the drum; a body supporting the drum, wherein the body includes a first housing and a second housing movable relative to one another between a closed position, in which the drum is secured to the body, and an open position, in which the drum is removable from the body; and a drum release mechanism disposed on one of the first housing and the second housing to selectively lock and unlock the body, wherein the first housing is movable relative to the second housing when the body is unlocked, and wherein the first housing is fixed relative to the second housing when the body is locked, the drum release mechanism including
a latch positioned on one of the first housing and the second housing, the latch configured to selectively engage the other of the first housing and the second housing, and
an actuator actuable to disengage the latch from the other of the first housing and the second housing.

18 . The drain cleaner of claim 17 , wherein the second housing is rotatable relative to the first housing when the body is unlocked.

19 . The drain cleaner of claim 17 , wherein the body is movable to an intermediate position between the closed position and the open position.

20 . The drain cleaner of claim 18 , wherein the second housing is slidable relative to the first housing while the actuator is being engaged.

Assignees

• Tti Macao Commercial Offshore Ltd

Inventors

• Pleasants Parke

Classifications

• E03F9/005 Primary

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

• B08B9/045

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

• B08B9/047

  the cleaning devices having {internal} motors {, e.g. turbines} for powering cleaning tools · CPC title