Patent ID: 6564823
Filing Date: 2003-05-20
Classification: E03C,E03F,F16L,G01M,Y10T

Abstract:
A plumbing tool for creating an opening through a blockage in a line, comprising:an operating head having blades capable of penetrating and reaming out such a blockage that is sealed in a line; a rotatable shaft having an axially and transversely rigid upper tubular crankshaft and a transversely flexible and axially rigid lower tool shaft, the tool shaft being a tightly wound coil spring telescopically received in the crankshaft, having an upper end connected to the crankshaft, and having a lower end transversely flexibly connected to the operating head, the spring in use extending from the crankshaft approximately one-half the overall length of the shaft when the shaft is fully telescopically extended, the spring extending along a substantially straight line from its upper end throughout a substantial part of its length but being capable of flexing transversely of said line throughout the remainder of its length to its lower end; a tubular handle rotatably receiving the upper portion of the shaft; and a cranhandle connected to the upper end of the crankshaft, the spring being capable of transmitting thrust to the head caused by force directly applied to the shaft with the crankhandle, said thrust being transmitted along the substantially straight part of the spring and thence along said remainder of the spring to the head in both the rotating and non-rotating conditions of the shaft, said transmitted thrust being great enough to allow the blades of the head to penetrate the blockage without rotating the shaft and being present to assist the blades to ream out the blockage during rotation of the shaft.