US3757375A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Obstruction removal apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-08-18
•
Granted: 1973-09-11
•
Expires: 1991-08-18
Abstract
Abstract A device for extracting obstructions from confined spaces includes a flexible outer shaft movable relative to an inner central member. The central member is attached to the outer shaft and in a first embodiment, contains one or more teeth or claws. Upon insertion of the device into an obstructed space, the claws are retracted inside the shaft for easy passage past the obstruction. During withdrawal of the device from the space, the claws become extended beyond the outer shaft, thereby facilitating positive engagement of the obstruction. In an alternative embodiment, the claws are replaced by one or more sections of the outer shaft having longitudinal slits or striations. During insertion of the device, the slitted sections are expanded longitudinally, narrowing these sections for easy passage into the pipe. During withdrawal, the sections are longitudinally compressed, resulting in their radial expansion or bellowing, and enabling engagement of the obstruction.
Inventors
- 👤 M Strom
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:50
CPC Classifications
B; B08; B08B; B08B9/00; B08B9/02; B08B9/027; B08B9/04; B08B9/043; B08B9/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A device for cleaning the interior surfaces of an elongated pipe comprising, a flexible rod for insertion into said pipe, an outer shaft fitted around said rod, said outer shaft including means for enabling longitudinal movement of said shaft relative to said rod, and at least one claw extending from said device and having a controllable radial displacement from said outer shaft in response to said longitudinal movement.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
68 words
A device for cleaning the interior surfaces of an elongated pipe comprising, a flexible rod for insertion into said pipe, an outer shaft fitted around said rod, said outer shaft including means for enabling longitudinal movement of said shaft relative to said rod, and at least one claw extending from said device and having a controllable radial displacement from said outer shaft in response to said longitudinal movement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said outer shaft is attached to said rod at at least one point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said device includes a distal end, and said point of attachment is said distal end of said device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said outer shaft includes a helically coiled wire.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said means enabling longitudinal relative movement between said outer shaft and said rod includes at least one loosely coiled section of said outer shaft having convolutions spaced apart one from the other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said at least one claw is attached to said rod and protrudes through a first one of said loosely coiled sections of said outer shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
A device in accordance with claim 6 wherein said first one of said loosely coiled sections is located toward said distal end of said device and said at least one claw is attached to said rod at a point between said first one of said loosely coiled sections of said outer shaft and said distal end of said device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said outer shaft includes a hollow cylindrical length of plastic tubing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means enabling longitudinal relative movement between said outer shaft and said flexible rod includes at least one section of said outer shaft having a plurality of longitudinal strips substantially equally spaced around the circumference of said outer shaft and defining a plurality of slits substantially equally spaced around the circumference of said outer shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device in accordance with claim 9 wherein each of said strips is compressible into a curved surface having an apex, and each of said claws includes said apex of one of said strips.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device in accordance with claim 10 wherein a first one of said sections of said outer shaft is located toward said distal end of said device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A device in accordance with claim 1 wheRein said outer shaft is attached to said rod at a first point and at a second point, said first point including the distal end of said device and said second point including the proximal end of said device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device in accordance with claim 12 wherein said outer shaft includes a helically coiled wire.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
A device in accordance with claim 13 wherein said means enabling longitudinal relative movement between said outer shaft and said rod includes first and second loosely coiled sections of said outer shaft having convolutions spaced apart one from the other, said first loosely coiled section being located toward said distal end of said device, and said second loosely coiled section being located toward said proximal end of said device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
A device in accordance with claim 14 wherein said at least one claw is attached to said rod and protrudes through said first loosely coiled section of said outer shaft, said at least one claw being attached to said rod at a point between said first loosely coiled section and said distal end of said device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device in accordance with claim 12 wherein said outer shaft includes a hollow cylindrical length of plastic tubing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
95 words
A device in accordance with claim 16 wherein said means enabling longitudinal relative movement between said outer shaft and said rod includes first and second sections of said outer shaft having a plurality of longitudinal strips substantially equally spaced around the circumference of said outer shaft and defining a plurality of longitudinal slits substantially equally spaced around said circumference said first section located toward said distal end of said device said second section located toward said proximal end of said device, and said first and second sections being partially precompressed during assembly of said device.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A device in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said strips is compressible into a curved surface having an apex, and said at least one claw includes said apex of one of said strips.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said outer shaft is adapted for rearward longitudinal movement relative to said rod during insertion of said device into said pipe, and said claw is adapted for inward radial displacement from said outer shaft in response to said forward longitudinal movement.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said outer shaft is adapted for forward longitudinal movement relative to said rod during withdrawal of said device from said pipe, and said claw is adapted for outward radial displacement toward said outer shaft in response to said rearward longitudinal movement.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
97 words
A device for cleaning the inside surfaces of a pipe, comprising a flexible rod for insertion inside said pipe, a tubular outer member fitted around said rod and connected to said rod at at least one point, said outer member having a circumference smaller than the inside circumference of said pipe, at least one claw attached to said device, said claw having a controllable radial displacement from said rod, and means for enabling longitudinal movement of said rod relative to said outer member, said means operative for changing said radial displacement between said rod and said claw.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
97 words
A device for cleaning the inside surfaces of a pipe, comprising a flexible rod for insertion inside said pipe, a tubular outer member fitted around said rod and connected to said rod at at least one point, said outer member having a circumference smaller than the inside circumference of said pipe, at least one claw attached to said device, said claw having a controllable radial displacement from said rod, and means for enabling longitudinal movement of said rod relative to said outer member, said means operative for changing said radial displacement between said rod and said claw.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 21 wherein said outer member includes a spirally coiled wire.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 22 wherein said last mentioned means includes at least one loosely coiled section of said spirally coiled wire wherein adjacent convolutions are spaced apart one from the other.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
130 words
The device of claim 23 wherein said device includes a distal end, said outer member is connected to said rod at said distal end of said device, a first one of said loosely coiled sections is located toward said distal end of said device, said claw is attached to said rod at a point between said first one of said loosely coiled sections and said distal end oF said device, said claw protrudes through said first one of said loosely coiled sections at a point rearward of said point of attachment, said radial displacement between said rod and said claw being increased during withdrawal of said device from said pipe and said radial displacement between said rod and said claw being decreased during insertion of said device into said pipe.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 21 wherein said outer member includes a hollow length of cylindrical tubing.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
45 words
The device of claim 25 wherein said last mentioned means includes at least one section of said cylindrical tubing having a plurality of longitudinal strips substantially equally spaced around the circumference thereof and defining a plurality of longitudinal slits substantially equally spaced around said circumference.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
84 words
The device of claim 26 wherein said device includes a distal end, said outer member is connected to said rod at said distal end of said device, a first one of said sections is located toward said distal end of said device, each of said strips of said first one of said sections is compressible into a curved surface having an apex forming said claw, said radial displacement between said rod and said claw being increased during withdrawal of said device from said pipe.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
161 words
The device of claim 25 wherein said last mentioned means includes at least a first and a second section of said cylindrical tubing each having a plurality of longitudinal strips substantially equally spaced around the circumference thereof and defining a plurality of longitudinal slits substantially equally spaced around said circumference, said outer member is connected to said rod at the distal end of said device and at the proximal end of said device, said first section is located toward said distal end of said device and said second section is located toward said proximal end of said device, said first and second sections are partially precompressed during assembly of said device, each of said strips of said first section is compressible into a curved surface having an apex forming said claw, and said radial displacement between said rod and said claw is increased during withdrawal of said device from said pipe and decreased during insertion of said device into said pipe.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
106 words
A device for removing an obstruction from a confined space, said device comprising an outer shaft of coiled wire, an inner central member fastened to said outer shaft, one or more claws attached to said inner central member and protruding from said outer shaft, and means including coils of said outer shaft enabling longitudinal displacement of said outer shaft relative to said inner central member, such that said claws are retracted into said outer shaft during insertion of said device into said confined space and extended from said outer shaft during withdrawal of said device from said confined space, thereby enabling positive engagement of said obstruction.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
106 words
A device for removing an obstruction from a confined space, said device comprising an outer shaft of coiled wire, an inner central member fastened to said outer shaft, one or more claws attached to said inner central member and protruding from said outer shaft, and means including coils of said outer shaft enabling longitudinal displacement of said outer shaft relative to said inner central member, such that said claws are retracted into said outer shaft during insertion of said device into said confined space and extended from said outer shaft during withdrawal of said device from said confined space, thereby enabling positive engagement of said obstruction.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device in accordance with claim 29 wherein said last mentioned means includes at least one loosely coiled section of said outer shaft.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
46 words
A device in accordance with claim 30 wherein said device includes a distal end, said loosely coiled section is located toward said distal end of said device, and said claws are attached to said inner central member at a point forward of said loosely coiled section.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
78 words
A device for removing an obstruction from a confined space, said device comprising a hollow outer shaft having at least one compressible section, an inner central member fastened to said outer shaft in a manner to allow longitudinal displacement of said shaft relative to said inner central member by compression of said compressible section, and at least one claw arranged to radially extend from said hollow outer shaft a controllable distance, said distance controlled by said longitudinal displacement.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
78 words
A device for removing an obstruction from a confined space, said device comprising a hollow outer shaft having at least one compressible section, an inner central member fastened to said outer shaft in a manner to allow longitudinal displacement of said shaft relative to said inner central member by compression of said compressible section, and at least one claw arranged to radially extend from said hollow outer shaft a controllable distance, said distance controlled by said longitudinal displacement.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device in accordance with cLaim 32 wherein said outer shaft includes a hollow length of cylindrical tubing.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
107 words
A device in accordance with claim 33 wherein said device includes a distal end, said inner central member is fastened to said outer shaft at said distal end of said device, said compressible section includes a plurality of longitudinal strips spaced substantially equally around the circumference of said outer shaft and defining a plurality of longitudinal slits spaced substantially equally around said circumference, each of said strips is compressible into a curved surface having an apex forming said claw, and said compressible section is located toward said distal end of said device. as indicated in FIG. 1, enabling attachment of various devices surface having an apex, and
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-10 | 1977-03-12 | 1977-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-10 | 1981-03-12 | 1981-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-10 | 1985-03-12 | 1985-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |