Apparatus for monitoring sewer cleaning tool extension
First Claim
1. A mobile sewer cleaning machine comprising:
- an elongated sewer cleaning tool wound upon a reel mounted in a reel compartment of the machine;
motor means coupled to said reel for rotating said reel;
motor control means for operating said motor means in one direction to play out said tool into a sewer by unwinding it from said reel, and in the direction opposite to said one direction to retract said tool from said sewer by rewinding said tool onto said reel;
movement signaling means coupled to said tool for generating signals representative of play out of said tool in defined incremental lengths and retraction of said tool in defined incremental lengths, said movement signaling means comprising;
a rotatably mounted tool sensing drum which is frictionally engaged with and rotated by said tool and including a position indicator mounted thereto,two proximity sensors positioned to sense said position indicator as said drum is rotated, andswitch means coupled to said motor control means for activating one of said proximity sensors upon rotation of said motor means in said one direction and the other of said proximity sensors upon rotation of said motor means in said opposite direction;
electronic counter means connected to said movement signaling means and responsive to said signals for displaying a count representative of the extent of said elongated sewer cleaning tool which has been unwound from said reel and/or rewound onto said reel, said electronic counter means including input means for selecting a desired count and output means for indicating when a desired count has been reached; and
alarm means connected to the output means of said electronic counter means connected to the output means of said electronic counter means for generating an alarm signal upon reaching said desired count.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile sewer cleaning machine comprises an elongated sewer cleaning tool wound upon a reel mounted in a reel compartment of the machine. A reel control motor is coupled to the reel to rotate the reel in one direction to play out the tool into a sewer by unwinding it, and in the opposite direction to retract the tool from the sewer by rewinding it. A rotatably mounted tool sensing drum is frictionally engaged with and rotated by the tool and includes a position indicator adjustably mounted to its side. Two proximity sensors are positioned to sense the position indicator as the drum is rotated by extension or retraction of the tool. To provide improved accuracy and ease of operation, the two proximity sensors are mounted opposite to one another across a diameter of the tool sensing drum. First and second switches are coupled to the reel control motor for activating one of the proximity sensors upon rotation of the motor in one direction and the other of the proximity sensors upon rotation of the motor means in the opposite direction. An electronic counter is connected to the sensors by the first and second switches for counting signals generated by the sensors and displaying a count representative of the extent of the tool which extends from the reel. The electronic counter includes input switches for entering a desired count and output contacts for indicating when an entered count has been reached. An audible and/or visual alarm is activated by the output contacts of the electronic counter upon reaching the desired count.
36 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A mobile sewer cleaning machine comprising:
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an elongated sewer cleaning tool wound upon a reel mounted in a reel compartment of the machine; motor means coupled to said reel for rotating said reel; motor control means for operating said motor means in one direction to play out said tool into a sewer by unwinding it from said reel, and in the direction opposite to said one direction to retract said tool from said sewer by rewinding said tool onto said reel; movement signaling means coupled to said tool for generating signals representative of play out of said tool in defined incremental lengths and retraction of said tool in defined incremental lengths, said movement signaling means comprising; a rotatably mounted tool sensing drum which is frictionally engaged with and rotated by said tool and including a position indicator mounted thereto, two proximity sensors positioned to sense said position indicator as said drum is rotated, and switch means coupled to said motor control means for activating one of said proximity sensors upon rotation of said motor means in said one direction and the other of said proximity sensors upon rotation of said motor means in said opposite direction; electronic counter means connected to said movement signaling means and responsive to said signals for displaying a count representative of the extent of said elongated sewer cleaning tool which has been unwound from said reel and/or rewound onto said reel, said electronic counter means including input means for selecting a desired count and output means for indicating when a desired count has been reached; and alarm means connected to the output means of said electronic counter means connected to the output means of said electronic counter means for generating an alarm signal upon reaching said desired count. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification