Closet auger

Abstract

A toilet auger includes a first elongate tubular housing, a second elongate tubular housing, a drain cleaning cable, a driven member, and a feed mechanism. The first elongate tubular housing includes a rotational axis. The second elongate tubular housing receives at least a portion of the first housing. The drain cleaning cable is disposed in the first housing and includes a portion disposed generally along the rotational axis. The cable operatively engages the first housing such that rotation of the first housing about the rotational axis causes the cable to rotate generally in the rotational axis. The driven member connects to the first housing for rotating the first housing about the rotational axis to rotate at least a portion of the drain cable generally in the rotational axis. The feed mechanism engages the cable and is configured to axially displace the cable as the cable rotates generally in the rotational axis. A method for removing an obstruction from a toilet drain is also disclosed.

1 . A toilet auger comprising:
 a first elongate tubular housing defining a longitudinal axis;   a second elongate tubular housing extending in at least a portion of the first housing;   a drain cleaning cable disposed in the second housing and having opposite proximal and distal ends, the proximal end slidably engaging the second housing and being carried by the second housing and axially movable with respect to the second housing and located at a position on said longitudinal axis such that rotation of the second housing about the longitudinal axis causes the proximal end of the cable to rotate generally about the longitudinal axis;   a driven member operatively connected to the second housing for rotating the second housing relative to the first housing about the longitudinal axis to rotate at least a portion of the drain cleaning cable generally about the longitudinal axis; and   a feed mechanism coupled with the first housing and configured to urge the cable generally along the longitudinal axis as the first housing is rotated relative to the second housing.   
   
   
       2 . The toilet auger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a drive block on the proximal end of said cable, the drive block cooperating with the second housing such that rotation of the second housing results in rotation of the drive block and the cable.   
   
   
       3 . The toilet auger of  claim 2 , wherein an inner surface of the second housing is non-circular in cross section taken normal to the longitudinal axis and an outer surface of the drive block has a complementary shape in cross section taken normal to the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       4 . The toilet auger of  claim 1 , further comprising a hand grip, the hand grip receiving the second housing such that the second housing rotates with respect to the hand grip. 
   
   
       5 . The toilet auger of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing includes a curved hollow portion adjacent a distal end, the curved hollow portion configured to fit into the discharge opening of an associated toilet bowl. 
   
   
       6 . The toilet auger of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing has a length l t  measured generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and the cable has a length l c  measured along the longitudinal axis, wherein l t /l c  is about 0.9 to about 1.1. 
   
   
       7 . The toilet auger of  claim 1 , wherein the driven member includes a crank arm connected to the second housing. 
   
   
       8 . The toilet auger of  claim 1 , wherein the driven member comprises an output shaft of a driver. 
   
   
       9 . The toilet auger of  claim 1 , wherein said feed mechanism includes a movable drive roll that selectively engages the cable. 
   
   
       10 . The toilet auger of  claim 9 , wherein the feed mechanism is configured to advance the cable from the second housing when the cable is rotated in a first longitudinal direction and to retract the cable into the first housing when the cable is rotated in the first longitudinal direction. 
   
   
       11 . A method for removing an obstruction from a toilet drain pipe, the method comprising:
 providing a toilet auger including a drain cleaning cable, an outer housing, a cable housing rotatably mounted in at least a portion of the outer housing and a feed mechanism;   inserting a distal portion of the outer housing of the toilet auger into a discharge opening of a toilet; and   rotating the cable housing with respect to the feed mechanism in a first rotational direction to cause the cable to advance into the toilet drain pipe, whereby a proximal end of the cable is axially displaced relative to the cable housing.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising rotating the cable housing with respect to the feed mechanism in a second rotational direction to cause the cable to retract into the cable housing. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising rotating the cable housing with respect to the feed mechanism in the first rotational direction to cause the cable to retract into the cable housing. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising changing an operating state of the feed mechanism. 
   
   
       15 . A toilet auger comprising:
 an elongate cable housing defining a rotational axis;   a driven member operatively connected to the cable housing for rotating the cable housing about the rotational axis;   a drain cleaning cable at least partially received in the cable housing and having a proximal end located generally along the rotational axis;   a feed mechanism engaging the cable for axially moving the cable in response to relative rotation between the cable and the feed mechanism; and   a drive block operatively coupled with the proximal end of the cable and being slidably received in the cable housing for movement together with said proximal end of the cable along said rotational axis defined by the cable housing, the drive block engaging the cable housing for rotation along with the cable housing.   
   
   
       16 . The toilet auger of  claim 15 , wherein the cable housing includes an interior passage dimensioned to preclude coiling of the cable about the rotational axis. 
   
   
       17 . The toilet auger of  claim 15 , wherein the cable housing has a non-circular interior surface in a cross section taken perpendicular to the rotational axis. 
   
   
       18 . The toilet auger of  claim 15 , further comprising an outer housing connected to the cable housing, the outer housing including a curved distal end portion. 
   
   
       19 . The toilet auger of  claim 15 , wherein the feed mechanism includes movable rollers that selectively engage the cable. 
   
   
       20 . The toilet auger of  claim 15 , wherein the driven member includes at least one of an output shaft of a motor and a crank arm connected to a handle. 
   
   
       21 . A toilet auger comprising:
 a first elongate tubular housing defining a longitudinal axis and having opposite first and second ends, and a handle portion on the first end thereof;   a second elongate tubular housing loosely rotatably received in the first housing and having an inner surface;   a driven member operatively connected to the second tubular housing for rotating the second housing relative to the first housing about said longitudinal axis;   a drain cleaning cable having opposite distal and proximal ends, the proximal end being located in the second tubular member and on said longitudinal axis;   a drive block on the proximal end of the cable and slideable together with said cable in said second tubular housing along said longitudinal axis, the drive block having an outer surface complementary to said inner surface of the second housing for being driven by the second housing about the longitudinal axis; and,   a feed mechanism coupled with the second end of the first tubular housing, the feed mechanism being configured to engage said cable and urge the cable generally along the longitudinal axis for moving the distal end thereof relative to the first and second housings based on relative motion between the feed mechanism and the cable.   
   
   
       22 . The toilet auger according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 said inner surface of the second housing is non-circular in cross section taken normal to the longitudinal axis; and,   said outer surface of the drive block has a complementary non-circular shape in cross section taken normal to the longitudinal axis.   
   
   
       23 . The toilet auger according to  claim 21 , wherein said handle portion is a hand grip, the hand grip receiving the first end of the second housing such that the second housing rotates with respect to the hand grip. 
   
   
       24 . The toilet auger according to  claim 21 , wherein the first housing includes a curved hollow portion adjacent the second end thereof, the curved hollow portion being configured to fit into the discharge opening of an associated toilet bowl. 
   
   
       25 . The toilet auger according to  claim 21 , wherein the first housing has a length l t  measured generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and the cable has a length l c  measured along the longitudinal axis, wherein l t /I c  is about 0.9 to about 1.1. 
   
   
       26 . The toilet auger according to  claim 21 , wherein the driven member includes a crank arm connected to the second housing. 
   
   
       27 . The toilet auger according to  claim 21 , wherein the driven member comprises an output shaft of a driver. 
   
   
       28 . The toilet auger according to  claim 21 , wherein said feed mechanism includes a movable drive roll that selectively engages the cable. 
   
   
       29 . The toilet auger according to  claim 21 , wherein the feed mechanism is configured to selectively advance the cable from the second housing when the cable is rotated in a first direction and to selectively retract the cable into the first housing when the cable is rotated in said first longitudinal direction. 
   
   
       30 . The toilet auger according to  claim 21 , wherein the feed mechanism includes:
 a feed housing member coupled with the second end of the first tubular member;   a trigger member coupled with the first elongate housing adjacent said handle portion; and,   a rod member extending between the feed housing member and the trigger member for actuating the feed mechanism using the trigger member.   
   
   
       31 . The toilet auger according to  claim 21 , wherein the driven member includes an electric motor.