US1817015A - Apparatus for cleaning out conduits and the like - Google Patents

Description

All@ 4, 1931. '.1. c. MILLER 1,817,015

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OUT CONDUITS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 26. .1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug 4, 1931- J; c.- MILLER 1,817,015

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OUT CONDITS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 4, 1931 i l l 9 UNITED STATES PATENT ermee JOHN C. MLLER, GF CHIfAGO, ILLINOIS APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OUT COll-TDUETS AND THE LIKE Application filed Gctober 26,' 1928. Serial No. 315,155.

This invention relates to apparatus for ln use, the coil l is adapted to be forced cleaning out conduits and the like, such as into circuitous passageways, such' as the fiues in furnaces and the water passageways water ijiassagewa-fs of the flushing bowl,

- in sinks, flushing bowls, and the like. lt with the hook l2 passing inwardly so as to 5 has, for one of its objects, providing a long catch onto any obstacle that may be in the A55 flexible device, with soine cleaning means atpassageway, such as a rag; and to assist taclied to its end, arranged so that the cleanin this and also to assist in forcing the hook king means can be forced inwardly long disbeyond obstructions, the coil is rotated. 'lhe tances through circuitous passageways for coils l() and ll, being composed of wire l@ cleaning the passageways out or for removsgirally wound, coact with any sharp corners ing obstacles from the passageways, either and screw along on the corner as rotated unby forcing them inwardly or, more particutil the hook passes the obstruction. larly, by attaching the device to the obstacle ln order to assist in this process, however,

l and pulling it outwardly. l provide a rounded or oval shaped device A particular object of this invention is 13 which is screwed onto the ond of the coil 65 to provide means for cleaning out the pas l0 and fastened thereon in any suitable mansageways and, particularly, the sealing traps ner. The rounded periphery of this device of liushing bowls, and for the purpose of assists materially in passing beyond certain illustrating the invention, itis shown as corners of the passageway.

used for that purpose. It is to be under- To assist in rotating the coil, l provide stood, however, that it may be used for vara handle 14 with a bore extending clear ious other purposes, such as those specilied through into which the coil l0 passes and,

above. by means of a thumb screw l5 or in any suit- Of the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is able manner, the handle may be shifted to an elevation of a device which embodies the any convenient position on the coil. It will features of my invention, showing it apbe understood that the coilmay be verv plied to the cleaning of a toilet liusliing long and, at the saine time, the handle inay bowl; Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the be shifted so as to be used in the most condevice itself with the support rotated venient position.

LJ with reference to Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a sec- Although the coil l0 may be used as .ile- 80 tional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; scribed for many purposes, yet, for other Fig. l is a sectional view along the line purposes,l prefeipto use in conjunction w'th -fl of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a modification of this coil an inner coil 20. rEhe outer diythe device of Fig. 4e; Fig. 6 is a sectional arneter of this coil being somewhat smaller view along the line 6 6 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 than the bore of the .main coil l0, the coil S5 is a modification of a portion of the fea- 2O may be slipped clear through the main ture 13 of the device; and Fig. 8 is a bottom coil with its inner end projecting out of the plan view of the handle shown in Fig. 3. inner end of the main coil, and the hook l2 In general, my invention comprises a long is fixed to the end of the inner coil. it coil of wire 10, which is used for the pur- By the use of this inner coil, the main coil ou pose of forcing the cleaning attachment into is strengthened without interfering matothe passageways. The attachment 1l shown rially with its flexibility, so that it may be is more particularly applicable to the reshoved inwardly with more force and, if moval of obstacles from the passageway. In necessary if the main coil should refuse to this case, the attachment is a coil of wire move inwardly further, the inner coil may f 9 l1 which has some hooking means l2 fixed be forced inwardly still further, carrying to the end; the hoolr itself may be attached with it the attachment l2 which, preferably, to the end of the flexible coil 10, or it may is a continuation of the coil ll, and the coil be attachedlto the end of another coil 20 1l is preferably the inner end of the conas hereinafter described. tinuous coil 20. When the hook is merely 1n@ a part of the coil 20, it is fully as flexible as the coil. For the purpose of manipulating both of these coils, I provide a second handle 2l slidably mounted on the two coils and with set screws 22 and 23 by which it can be fixed to both coils or to either' one alone. By means of this handle and the set screws 22, both handlescan be set on the coil 10 if desired, or, by setting both set screws 22 and 23, the handle 2l may beset on the two coils so as to prevent relative movement thereof, or, if desired, by loosening the set screw 22 and tightening the screw 23, the coils can be rotated with reference to each other, or the inner coil may be forced inwardly or pulled' outwardly with reference to the outer coil. In rotating the coils relatively, the large coil is held by the handle 2a and the small coil by the handle 2l.

It is to be understood, however, that either of these coils may be used alone, the larger one for certain passageways, such as those of flushing bowls, and the other for other passageways, such as those of the traps of washing bowls. In either case, the hook l2 or other attachments may be fixed to the inner end. l

However, the cleaning device is often much more effectively used when it is used in connection with the means which I have provided for holding the coil as it is being manipulated. It will be understood that, as the. attachment is being worked into the passageway by the coil, the coil is rotated so as to give a twisting motion to the attachment. But tol manipulate the coil in this manner, I find it desirable to have some means of providing a bearing for the support and rotation of the coil.

lWhen used with flushing bowls, themeans Vwhich I provide for a' bearing for the coil comprises a plate 25 which, preferably, is made to cover the top of the bowl 24. Also, preferably, it has a lid 2G hinged to the plate 25 which can be raised as desired. For

- sanitary purposes, I prefer to keep' the bowl entirely covered in this way. Passing through the board 25 is a tube 27 having a bend 28 on its lower end adapt-ed to be passed under the edge of the wall 30 which forms the outer end of the passageway. To protect the wall, I provide on the bend a rubber tube 3l. In adjusting the apparatus to the bowl, the board is placed over the bowl and the tube 27 is pushed downwardly until the end 28 is hooked onto the wall, the springs 32 (Fig. 2) yieldingly holding the tube and board snugly in position.

Aalthough the plate 25 and the springs 32 will hold the device in position suitably for many purposes, yet, to hold them more rigidly, I provide a handle 35 pivoted to a clamp 36 which is adjustably mounted on the tube 27. Fixed to the handle is a cam 37 arranged so that when the handle is forced downwardly the cam will pull the tube 27 upwardly with reference to the plate 25 and, thus, hold the entire outfit more rigidly in position. rEhe clamp 36 is adjustably mounted on the tube in the following manner, although it may be adjustably mounted in other ways. Fixed on the periphery of the tube are grooves 40 and corresponding projections i-l are fixed in the bore of the clamp. Normally, the clamp will open sufliciently so that the projections will pass freely over the tube and the grooves but, as the handle 35 is passed downwardly, a projection a9 fixed to the inner arm l2 of the handle, and acting on a cam surface 43, will press the clamp arm 1li. towards the arm 45 and, thus, will force the projections 4l into the corresponding recesses 4:0 and hold the clamp firmly in position. In order that the two cams #l3- and 37 may coact properly together, I provide means for varying the length of the arm 46. Although various means may be used for thispurpose, I prefer to provide a plate 47 which is pivoted at 39 between the two arms 46 and a screw 48 threaded in one arm is adapted to force the plate 47 against the other arm and hold it rigidly in any adjusted position.

A modification of this cam arrangement comprises a forked handle 50 which is pivoted to the arms 51 of the corresponding clamp 52 and has projections 53 on the inner end of each arm of the fork 50, which coact with cam surfaces 54 on the sides of the arms 5l which correspond to the cam surfaces lf3. This arrangement may have cam arms similar to the arms 46 of the handle 35 or be otherwise arranged.

When thus supported, the tube 27 forms a support or bearing for the coil l0, or 20, or both, and the'operator is able to force the coil downwardly through the tube 27 and the bend 28 and around through the passagewaysfof the bowl, and he is also able to conveniently rotate the coil l0 as itis being pushed down. Particularly when manipulating the two coils l0 and 20, this arrangement is desirable, as the operator is then free to give his entire attention and both hands to manipulating the coils and, particularly, in operating the coils relative to each other.

To adapt the apparatus to various devices, for'instance, to flushing bowls of different shapes, I prefer to mountthe tube 27 rotatably in the plate 25. Itis sometimes desirable to have the hook 28 of the tube relative to the plate, as shownV in Fig. l, or rotated through 90, as shown in Fig. 2, or rotated through 1800, or otherwise. As arranged, the tube 27 can be freely rotated with reference to the plate by loosening the set screw 60. For the purpose of holding the various members substantially in position, and for other reasons, I provide a coil llO kspring 61 mounted on the tube between the collar 33 and the plate, or, preferably, between the collar and a plate 62 mounted on the under side of the plate 25.

It is also desirable to slidably mount the tube 27 in the plate 25 and, for this purpose, I provide a slot G5 in the plate 25 and n the upper ends of the springs are shifted accordingly and no inconvenience results.

It will be understood that other modifications could be made in the details of the apparatus which I have illustrated and described herein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention as disclosed by the following claims.

Y For instance, the device 13 may be replaced by a device which may be composed of independent wire and in any manner fastened onto the inner end of the tube 10. I prefer, however, to form this bulge 70 by winding back on itself thewires of the coil 10, so that it will be rigidly and conveniently fixed to the coil l0. It will be understood that, by removing the handles from the coils, one or both of them may be slipped from the tube 27 and the coils may then be used independent of the supporting apparatus or, if desired, the coils may be reversed so that the normal outer ends may be used inwardly; and any suitable attachments may be connected therewith, such as the cork-screw coil 71.

f 'Ihe coils 10 and 20 may be made of any suitable material. I prefer, however, for the purpose to make them of music or piano wire. IVhile I do not wish to be limited to the dimensions specified, yet, I rprefer to make the outer coil with an outer diameter of substantially 7/16 and out of piano wire having a diameter of about .118, and the inner coil with an outer diameter of about 8/6 and from piano wire of .substantially .071 in diameter.

When the coils are made of suitable piano wire, they are very flexible but strong and not easily bent. For instance, the hook 12 on the end of the coil 2O can be pulled through the coil 10 and also through either handle without being permanently bent.

I claim:

1. A passageway cleaner comprising a long flexible coil of spring wire, a cleaning attachment fixed to one end of the coil, a handle slidably mounted on the coil, the adjacent turns of the coil being substantially in contact, and a collar mounted on the attachment end of said coil with the attachment projecting, the periphery of said collar being oval-shaped.

2. A passageway cleaner as claimed in claim 1, in which said collar comprises a coil of wire with its outer end fixed to said first mentioned coil.

8. A passageway cleaner comprising a long flexible coil of spring wire, a handle slidably mounted on the coil, the adjacent turns of the coil being substantially in contact, a collar mounted on the attachment end of said coil, the periphery of said collar being oval-shaped, and a second elongated coil, said second coil being longer than and slidably mounted in said first mentioned coil, and a cleaning attachment fixed to one end of said second coil.

4. A passageway cleaner support comprising a tube adapted to receive in its bore a liexible rod or coil, a plate having an opening therethrough in which said tube is mounted, said plate being adapted to be placed against a member fixed with reference to said passageway, said tube having means on its inner end for attaching to a member fixed with reference to said passageway, and means for pressing said plate towards said inner end relative to said tube.

5. A passageway cleaner support as claimed in claim 4, in which said means comprises a handle fixed to said tube outside of said plate and cam means adapted to press against said plate as the handle is operated.

6. A passageway cleaner support as claimed in claim 4, in which said means comprises a handle slidably mounted on said tube and means adapted to hold said handle rigidly relative to said tube as said handle is operated, and other means tending to press said plate towards said inner tube end as said handle is operated.

7. A passageway cleaner support as claimed in claim 4, and also comprising yielding means for holding said tube against movement inwardly in said board, said tube and yielding means being slidably mounted with reference to said plate.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN C. MILLER.

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