Quick release mechanisms for plumbing tools

An auger plumbing tool comprising:

• an elongate housing defining a hollow interior, the housing defining a working end and an operator end;
• a flexible drain cleaning cable disposed in the hollow interior of the housing;
• an auger drive having an exposed outwardly extending rod, the rod defining a distal end and an outer surface proximate the distal end, the rod defining a recess along the outer surface;
• a crank member engageable with and separable from the rod of the auger drive, the crank member including (i) a collar affixed to an end of the crank member, (ii) a positionable sleeve disposed on the collar and movably retained on the collar, and (iii) a plurality of spherical members disposed about an outer periphery of the collar and disposed within an annular region defined between the collar and the sleeve, wherein the collar defines a generally hollow receiving region adapted to receive the distal end of the rod of the auger drive, the collar also defining a plurality of apertures extending through a wall of the collar thereby providing access to the generally hollow receiving region, each of the apertures sized to enable a corresponding spherical member to partially protrude into the generally hollow receiving region yet not pass entirely through the aperture.

A method of releasably engaging a crank handle with an auger, the auger having an exposed rod having a recess proximate an end of the rod, the method comprising:

• incorporating a quick release assembly with a crank handle, the quick release assembly including (i) a collar affixed to an end of the crank handle, (ii) a positionable sleeve disposed on the collar and movably retained on the collar, and (iii) a plurality of spherical members disposed about an outer periphery of the collar and disposed within an annular region defined between the collar and the sleeve, wherein the collar defines a generally hollow receiving region adapted to receive the distal end of the rod of the auger drive, the collar also defining a plurality of apertures extending through a wall of the collar thereby providing access to the generally hollow receiving region, each of the apertures sized to enable a corresponding spherical member to partially protrude into the generally hollow receiving region yet not pass entirely through the aperture;
• positioning the sleeve so that the spherical members are in their unseated position;
• inserting the end of the rod into the hollow receiving region defined by the collar such that the recess of the rod is accessible through the plurality of apertures;
• positioning the sleeve so that the spherical members are in their seated position and contacting the recess of the rod, whereby the crank handle is engaged with the auger.