Drain cable apparatus

Apparatus adapted for coupling to a pipe, comprising:

• a main body presenting an outer wall, a body interior, and opposed connecting and free ends;
• means for operably coupling said connecting end to the pipe with the interiors of said main body and the pipe being in communication with each other;
• means for defining a cable-receiving opening adjacent said free end for receiving a cable within said body interior for passage thereof into the pipe;
• means for determining when the pipe has been unclogged, including an inlet and an outlet extending through said body outer wall intermediate said ends,
• said inlet and said outlet being positioned for allowing water delivered to said main body interior through said inlet to flow through the pipe when the pipe has been unclogged, and to flow through said outlet when the pipe remains clogged;
• said main body comprising a pair of elongated, segmented, mating body sections which are mated together to sandwich the cable therebetween after the cable is inserted in the pipe;
• and
• a cleaning material located within said main body for removing waste material from the cable as the cable is retracted from said apparatus, said cleaning material comprising a pair of mating, segmented sponge sections each positioned in one of said body sections so that said sponge sections mate together and completely surround and encase a portion of the cable when the body sections are mated together over the cable.