Rotary drum release for a drain cleaning machine
AssigneeMasco Corporation
InventorRandall Paul Schmitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary drum release assembly includes a multiple of lock pins which engage a rotary drum shaft to lock and unlock a rotary drum to a drain cleaning machine without the need for tools. The rotary drum release assembly is mounted within a support frame assembly. A rotary drum shaft groove is located within a sleeve mounted to the support frame assembly to minimize localized weakening of the shaft. Rotation of an actuating handle engages cam surfaces with the lock pins to overcome their spring bias of the lock pins and simultaneously drive the lock pins away from the shaft to allow release of the drum. To mount the drum, the drum shaft is pushed into the sleeve and the lock pins are received into the shaft groove.
Claims18
In a drain cleaning machine having a rotary drum, a drum release assembly comprising:
- a sleeve to rotatably receive a rotary drum shaft, said rotary drum shaft defining an axis of rotation;
- a lock pin movably mounted substantially perpendicular to said axis of rotation;
- a biasing member to bias said lock pin toward said axis of rotation;
- and
- a cam surface engageable with said lock pin, said cam surface rotatable about said axis of rotation to drive said lock pin against said biasing member.
In a drain cleaning machine having a rotary drum, a drum release assembly comprising:
- a sleeve to rotatably receive a rotary drum shaft having a shaft groove, said rotary drum shaft defining an axis of rotation;
- a fixed cylindrical member coaxially mounted about said sleeve;
- a lock pin mounted substantially perpendicular to said axis of rotation, said lock pin including a square portion movable through a square opening in said sleeve and engageable with said shaft groove;
- a biasing member to bias said lock pin toward said axis of rotation;
- and
- a cam surface engageable with said lock pin, said cam surface rotatable about said axis of rotation to drive said lock pin against said biasing member.
A drain cleaning machine comprising:
- a support frame;
- a removable rotary drum;
- a rotary drum shaft extending from said rotary drum, said rotary drum shaft defining an axis of rotation and having a groove adjacent a distal end;
- a drive assembly to rotate said rotary drum about said axis of rotation;
- a sleeve mounted to said support frame to rotatably receive said rotary drum shaft, said sleeve having a square opening;
- a fixed cylindrical member coaxially mounted about said sleeve;
- a lock pin having a square portion movable through said square opening and engageable with said shaft groove;
- a biasing member to bias said lock pin toward said axis of rotation;
- and
- a lock plate rotatable about said sleeve, said lock plate having a helical cam surface engageable with said lock pin, said helical cam surface rotatable about said axis of rotation relative to said fixed cylindrical member to drive said lock pin against said biasing member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.