US1994526A - Waste pipe cleaner - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1935. I c. L. MCCLOSKEY 11,994,526

WASTE PIPE CLEANER Filed March 28, 19:54

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ATTORNEYS Cil Patented Mar. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WASTE PIPE CLEANER,

Charles Leo McCloskey, Essex, Ontario, Canada, asslgnor of one-half to Albert J. Ashton, Essex,

Ontario, Canada This invention relates particularly to means for forcing obstructions from waste or other pipes and to a portable device for the purpose, especially adapted for house use.

An object of the present invention is to provide a conveniently operable, portable device for the purpose of embodying means for creating and storing a supply of air under pressure, together with means for conveniently connecting said storage means with a waste or other pipe, and means for controlling the discharge of such air under pressure.

A further object is to provide convenient means whereby a. head or column of water may be created in the pipe to be cleaned, together with a suitable altitude gauge and check valve to indicate and maintain such head.

It is also an object to provide a storage tank for compressed air and embodying a hand operated air pump and a valvular or sealing member to seat within the open end of the obstructed pipe line, and including a water connection, whereby a portable device is provided adapted for convenient manipulation, and to provide such device with means for controlling the discharge of compressed air from said storage tank, and in providing certain other new and useful features in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements, all as hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section through a device illustrative ofan embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is an illustration of an application of the device in use.

The device embodying the present invention, while it is applicable for use in cleaning or forcing out any obstruction within any pipe line, yet

it is particularly adapted for use in forcing an.

obstruction from a waste pipe line leading from a sink, water closet bowl, or other device as commonly installed in buildings.

As illustrative of one use to which the present device may be applied, said device is shown in Figure 2 of the drawing as applied for forcing out an obstruction in the waste pipe 1 leading from asink 2, with theusual branch pipe 3 and waste trap'4 connecting the waste pipe with an outlet opening 5 in the bottom of the sink. As usually installed, the sink is provided with asplash board 6 through which water faucets '7 extend, and following the usual practice, an overflow orvent pipe 8 is installed in the wall of the building and. conend of thepiston rod 14 extending through the head 10 and provided at its upper end with ahandle 15 by means of which the rod may be reciprocated to force air from the pump cylinder through asuitable valve 16 at its lower end, into theair tank 9.

An air outlet pipe 1'7 is preferably screwed into an opening in thelower head 11 of the air tank and the inwardly projecting end of this pipe forms a seat for an air valve 18 which is provided with a rod or stem 19 extending upwardly in the air tank and through the head 10 thereof where it is provided with a head or handle 20. The head 10 is also provided with anair pressure gauge 21 of any suitable. form to show the air pressure -which has been pumped up within thetank 9.

The lower end of theair outlet pipe 17 is provided with aconical head 22 which is preferably formed of rubber or other suitable flexible material so that this conical head may be seated within. the opening 5 in the bottom of thesink 2 and make a tight joint therewith. Thishead 22 is preferably formed with an interior sleeve or bushing 23 which is screwthreaded interiorly to receive the end of thepipe 17, the arrangement being such that this head may be screwed upon the pipe with either its conical face positioned downwardly as shown, or may be reversed upon the ends of the pipe with its flat upper face downwardly so that it may seat directly upon the end of a pipe which is to be cleaned and make a tight joint therewith.

Leading laterally from thepipe 17 is abranch 24, said branch including acoupling 25 for attaching anextension 26 for the branch thereto, and within thiscoupling 25 is positioned a check valve 2'? of any suitable form, the form shown being a ball valve member which is urged toward a seat inserted in the coupling by means of a suitable spring, the arrangement being such that fluid, such as water forced into theextension 26, will unseat the check valve and allow the water to pass, but upon pressure in the opposite direction, this check valve will close and prevent the escape outwardly through theextension 26. The free end of thisextension 26 may have applied thereto or connected therewith in any suitable manner, ahose 28, the opposite end of which may be screwed upon one or the water faucets 7 so that by opening this faucet, water under pressure will be forced past thecheck valve 27 and into thepipe 17 and from this pipe through the trap 4 and into the waste pipe 1, the air valve 18 being at this time seated, to prevent this water pressure from passing into theair tank 9. By this means water is forced through the trap 4 to clean the trap and to fill up the waste pipe and also to build up a head of water within thevent pipe 8 so that when the air valve 18 is unseated air under pressure from the tank9 will be applied to the water filling the waste pipe, the head oi. water within the vent pipe, applying this force to the water in the waste pipe and thus to the obstruction indicated at 29 therein to force this obstruction out of the pipe.

To indicate when a suitable head or column of water has been provided within thevent pipe 8 through thehose connection 28 with thepipe 17, analtitude gauge 30 of any suitable construction may be mounted upon theextension pipe 26 to indicate such head or column so that the operator may know when sufiicient water under pressure has been admitted by means of the faucet 7 which may then be closed. The operator may then grasp thehead 20 of the valve stem 19 and raise the valve 18 from its seat to permit air under heavy pressure to escape from theair tank 9 into the pipe 1'7 and thus impart to the water filling the waste pipe, a hammer blow sufficient to dislodge theobstruction 29 in the pipe.

In cases where it is not desirable to use the water connection to thepipe 17, theextension 26 with itsgauge 30 may be removed by disconnecting thecoupling 25 and substituting a cap for closing the end of thebranch 24, and in that case air under pressure will alone be employed to force the obstruction from the pipe which may be any pipe, as thehead 22 will serve to seat upon and close the end of the pipe.

The arrangement of this device is such as to make it portable and manipulable as a hand operated device and 'the construction is simple, compact and of a size to make it suitable for hand operation.

Obviously changes may be made in the specific construction and arrangement 01' parts within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not,

therefore, wish to limit myself to the particular construction shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. In combination with a waste pipe having a connection to the outlet of a sink and provided with an upwardly extending vent pipe; of means for introducing air under pressure into said waste pipe through said sink outlet, and means for inconnected with a source of water under pressure and an upwardly extending vent pipe in open communication with said waste pipe; of an air tank, an air outlet pipe for said tank to deliver air into said waste pipe through said sink outlet,

means for creating an air pressure in said tank,

means forming a detachable connection between said air pipe and sink outlet and sealing the joint therebetween, and means including a hose connection to said sink faucet for introducing water under pressure into said waste pipe through said sink outlet to rise within said vent pipe and seal the same against the escape therethrough of air introduced into said waste pipe irom said tank.

3. The combination with a waste pipe having connection to the outlet of a sink and provided with an upwardly extending vent pipe, of an air tank, means for forcing air under pressure into said air tank, an air outlet pipe for said tank, a valve for controlling the flow of air into said air outlet pipe from said tank, sealing means at the 25 lower end of said air outlet pipe to seat within the discharge opening from said sink, and means for introducing water under pressure into said waste pipe through said air outlet pipe and said outlet and including a-hose for connecting said air outlet pipe with a water faucet having connection with a source of water under pressure.

4. The combination with a waste pipe having connection to the outlet of a sink, a sink water faucet connected with a source of water under '35 pressure, and a vent pipe in open communication with said waste pipe; of an air tank, a pump cylinder connected to said tank to deliver air under pressure thereto, an air outlet pipe secured to and opening through the lower end of said "40 tank, a valve to control the outlet of air from said tank to said outlet pipe, 9. head formed of yieldable material detachably secured to the lower end of said air outlet pipe with said pipe opening through said head, said air outlet pipe being "i=5 formed with a lateral branch opening thereinto, a tubular extension for said branch, a coupling for connecting said extension to said branch, a check valve in said coupling, an altitude gauge on said extension, and a hose for connection at one end to-the free end of said extension and at its opposite end to said water faucet, whereby water under pressure from said faucet may be introduced into said waste pipe to rise in said vent pipe and its height therein indicated by said gauge, to seal said vent pipe against the escape of air therethrough when admitted to said waste pipe from said air tank.

CHARLES LEO McCLOSKEY. to

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