US 8,046,862 B2 · Drain cleaning apparatus with electronic cable counter

Abstract

A drain cleaning machine with an electronic cable counter is disclosed which is of the character comprising a frame supporting a rotatable drum which is driven by a motor through an endless belt. The drum contains a flexible drain cleaning snake which is rotatable with the drum and axially displaceable into an out from the drum, and the frame supports a cable feeding device through which the cable extends and by which the cable is displaced into and out of the drum. An electronic cable counter is configured to count an amount of cable payed out from and retracted into the drum and includes first and second sensor portions mounted on the rotatable drum and a cable follower member, respectively to sense relative rotational movement therebetween. A process determines an amount and direction of relative movement therebetween and generates a signal representative of an amount of cable payed or retracted into the drum. A fixed receiver unit is mounted to the frame and includes a human readable display portion and a receiver portion configured to receive the signal generated from the processor portion.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A drain cleaning apparatus comprising:

a frame;
a drum supported relative to said frame for rotation about a first axis, the drum including a main housing portion defining an opening therethrough;
a flexible drain cleaning snake/cable carried by and rotatable with said drum, the cable being axially displaceable outwardly of said drum through said opening to pay out portions of the cable from the drum and being axially displaceable inwardly of said drum through said opening to retract portions of the snake into the drum;
a snake/cable follower member configured to engage said cable and supported for movement in a first direction relative to said drum as the cable is payed out of the drum and in a second direction relative to said drum as the snake is retracted into the drum;
and,
a snake/cable counter configured to count an amount of cable payed out from said drum, the cable counter including first and second sensor portions on the drum and cable follower member, respectively, for sensing relative movement between the drum and the cable follower member in said first and second directions, and a processor in operative communication with said first and second sensor portions for determining an amount of cable payed out from said drum and generating a signal representative of said amount.

3 more elements

An electronic snake/cable counter for use with an associated drain cleaning apparatus of the type including a frame, a drum supported relative to the frame for rotation about a first axis, the drum including a main housing portion defining an opening therethrough, a flexible drain cleaning cable carried by and rotatable with the drum, the cable being axially displaceable outwardly of the drum through the opening to pay out portions of the cable from the drum and being axially displaceable inwardly of the drum through the opening to retract portions of the cable into the drum, a cable follower member configured to engage the cable and supported for movement in a first direction relative to the drum as the cable is payed out of the drum and in a second direction relative to the drum as the snake is retracted into the drum, the electronic cable counter comprising:

a first sensor portion on said drum of the associated drain cleaning apparatus;
a second sensor portion on said cable follower member of the associated drain cleaning apparatus, the first and second sensor portions sensing said relative movement between the drum and the follower member in said first and second directions;
and,
a processor in operative communication with said first and second sensor portions for determining an amount of said cable payed out from the drum and generating a signal representative of said amount.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Drain cleaning apparatus with electronic cable counter

Life of this patent

Drain cleaning apparatus with electronic cable counter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20