Patent ID: 9670656
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: B08B,E03C,F16B,F16D,G05G,Y10S,Y10T

Claim:
1. A quick release assembly for an auger plumbing tool, the assembly comprising: 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 and a pin radially projecting from the outer surface of the rod; 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, and the collar further defining a slot oriented to receive and engage the pin of the rod upon engagement between the crank member and the rod.