Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
DRAIN CLEAN-OUT ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USING
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to plumbing equipment, and
more particularly problems associated with cleaning a plugged sewage drain
line, for example, found in a residential and commercial buildings.
If a sewage drain line becomes obstructed in, for example, a
residential or commercial building, the blockage is typically removed with a
rod or cable inserted through a clean-out plug located at a lower end of the
drain line. However, as soon as the clean-out plug is removed, backed-up
sewage below the obstruction rapidly drains from the drain line as the clean-
out plug is removed, often resulting in a spill that must be cleaned.
U.S. Patent No. 2,241,560 to Schouler, U.S. Patent No. 2,451,051
to Tubbs, U.S. Patent No. 4,159,721 to Horter, U.S. Patent No. 5,144,699 to
Graham, and U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2005/0283890 to Schaaf
are each concerned with draining a drain system prior to attempting to remove
an obstruction. Schouler discloses a valve between a drain system and a
clean-out plug, and through which sewage can drain to a hose. Tubbs also
discloses the use of a valve between a drain system and a clean-out plug
assembly, though with the intent that sewage is prevented from being drained
prior to and during removal of an obstruction. Horter differs in that a drain
hose is attached downstream from a clean-out plug of a drain system.
Graham discloses a drain hose attached downstream of a valve that operates
as a drain plug on a drain system. Schaaf discloses a drain valve that, while
located downstream of a drain plug, enables a drain system to be drained
without removing the plug.
-1-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides drain clean-out assemblies that can
be used to drain the contents of a drain line prior to removing a clean-out
plug
mounted to the assembly, or to which the assembly is mounted.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the drain clean-out
assembly includes a housing having oppositely-disposed first and second
ends and a drain between the first and second ends and in fluidic
communication with an interior of the housing. The first end of the housing is
configured to attach to a drain line, and a clean-out plug is removably
attached to the housing. A device is contained within the housing for
selectively preventing and permitting flow of a fluid into the housing from
the
first end thereof and out of the housing through the drain thereof. A device
outside the housing permits operation of the preventing and permitting device.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the drain clean-out
assembly includes a clean-out plug and a device permanently mounted to the
clean-out plug for selectively preventing and permitting drainage of a fluid
through the clean-out plug. The preventing and permitting device may be, for
example, a spigot, a three-way ball valve, or plunger assembly within the
housing.
According to further aspects of the invention, a method is provided
for draining an obstructed drain line to permit removal of an obstruction in
the
drain line. The method generally entails mounting to a drain line a drain
clean-out assembly that includes a device for selectively preventing and
permitting flow of a fluid from a first end of a housing of the assembly to a
drain on the housing. The device is then operated to drain sewage within the
drain line downstream of (below) the obstruction, after which a clean-out plug
associated with the assembly is removed to gain access to and remove the
obstruction through an access in the housing.
-2-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
In view of the above, the drain clean-out assembly enables the
draining of a plugged drain line downstream of (below) the obstruction prior
to
attempting to remove the obstruction itself. As a result, a cable or rod can
be
inserted into the drain line through a clean-out plug without risk of sewage
spilling out as the clean-out plug is being removed. Other objects and
advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following
drawing descriptions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective and cross-sectional views,
respectively, of a plunger-type drainable clean-out assembly in accordance
with a first embodiment of the invention.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views of plunger-type drainable
clean-out assemblies in accordance with second and third embodiments of
the invention.
FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective and cross-sectional views,
respectively, of a ball valve-type drainable clean-out assembly in accordance
with a fourth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view and FIGS. 8A, and 8B are cross-
sectional views of a ball valve-type drainable clean-out assembly for a drain
stack in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention.
FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective and cross-sectional views,
respectively, of a spigot-type drainable clean-out assembly for a drain stack
in
accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a plunger-type drainable clean-
-3-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
out assembly in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the invention.
FIGS. 12 and 13 are perspective and cross-sectional views,
respectively, of a ball valve-type drainable clean-out assembly in accordance
with a seventh embodiment of the invention.
FIGS. 14 and 15 are perspective and cross-sectional views,
respectively, of a ball valve-type drainable clean-out assembly in accordance
with an eighth embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1 through 15 depict configurations of drainable clean-out
assemblies in accordance with embodiments of this invention. In each
embodiment, the assembly is configured to be mounted to a drain line (or
stack), and is equipped with a clean-out plug and a drain valve for safely
draining sewage from a drain line before attempting to place a rod or cable
into the drain line to remove a blockage. In the figures, consistent reference
numbers are used to identify functionally similar structures of related
embodiments. It should be further noted that the drawings are drawn for
purposes of clarity when viewed in combination with the following description,
and therefore are not necessarily to scale.
FIGS. 1 and 2 represent an embodiment of a plunger-type clean-out
assembly 10 of this invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 represent two additional
embodiments of plunger-type clean-out assemblies 10 similar in function and
operation to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 2 further shows the
assembly 10 of FIG. 1 mounted to a sewer line 50 in which an obstruction 52
is present. The assemblies 10 are typically located at or near an end of the
sewer line 50 below drain pipes (not shown) that enter the sewer line 50 from
above. In a conventional plumbing system, a clean-out plug would be
employed to close the end of the sewer line 50 instead of the assembly 10 of
-4-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
this invention.
The clean-out assemblies 10 if FIGS. 1 through 4 enable the
obstruction 52 to be removed from the sewer line 50, while avoiding sewage
54 downstream of (below) the obstruction 52 from pouring out of the line 50
when the line 50 is opened to permit insertion of a rod or cable (not shown)
to
remove the obstruction 52. In FIGS. 1 through 4, the assembly 10 comprises
a generally cylindrical-shaped housing 12 having oppositely-disposed axial
ends, one of which is a mounting end 14 adapted to secure the assembly 10
to the sewer line 50, while the other is a clean-out end 16 equipped with a
clean-out plug 18. The mounting end 14 is shown equipped with threads that
permit mounting the assembly 10 on the drain line 50, though an adhesive,
clamp, expansion seal, or other mounting technique could be used instead.
At a lower side of its circumference, the housing 12 is equipped with a drain
20 whose axis is oriented generally as a radial to the axis of the housing 12.
The assemblies 10 of FIGS. 1 through 4 further include a plunger
assembly 22 with a piston 24 slidably disposed within the housing 12. The
piston 24 has a convex face 26 shaped to abut and seal against an annular-
shaped tapered seat 28 defined at the junction between the mounting end 14
of the housing 12 and the main body of the housing 12. In this manner, the
piston 24 is capable of sealing the sewage 54 within the drain line 50 and
preventing its entry into the housing 12.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, the plunger assembly 22 further includes a stem
32 that threads through a threaded bore 34 in the clean-out plug 18. A nut 36
affixed to the stem 32 enables the stem 32 to be turned and threaded out
through the plug 18, thereby backing the piston 24 off the seat 28 to permit
the sewage 54 to enter the housing 12. The threaded engagement of the
stem 32 and clean-out plug 18 effectively forms a seal to prevent leakage of
sewage 54. It is foreseeable that the threads could be omitted, and the stem
32 and bore 34 could have a sliding fit therebetween that could be sealed with
-5-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
o-rings or another suitable sealing element. In the absence of threads, the
assembly 10 would preferably be equipped with a spring or other element
capable of biasing the piston 24 into engagement with the seat 28.
The embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4 differ primarily by the
configuration of the plunger assembly 22. In FIG. 3, the plunger assembly 22
further includes a threaded cylinder 40 within a boss 42 on the clean-out plug
18. By turning the cylinder 40 with a handle 44, the plunger assembly 22 is
retracted in the housing 12 essentially in the same manner as that seen in
FIG. 2. In FIG. 4, the plunger assembly 22 can be a solid or hollow body
attached to or otherwise formed as a fixed extension of the clean-out plug 18,
such that rotating the plug 18 (for example, using a wrench on the boss 42) to
partially retract the plunger assembly 22 within the housing 12 also rotates
the
plunger assembly 22, thereby unseating the piston 24 and its convex face 26
from the seat 28 for draining the sewage 54.
In each of FIGS. 1 through 4, the drain 20 is equipped with a drain
plug 38 that can be removed prior to releasing the sewage 54 from the drain
line 50, so that the sewage 54 can safely drain from the housing 12 into a
hose (not shown) or other conduit threaded into or otherwise attached to the
drain 20. Once the sewage 54 has been drained from the housing 12 through
the drain 20, the clean-out plug 18 (along with the plunger assembly 22) can
be removed from the housing 12 to permit the insertion of a rod or cable
through the clean-out end 16 of the housing 12 to remove the obstruction 52.
The housing 12 can remain on the drain line 50, enabling continued use of the
drain 20 (and any conduit attached thereto) to remove sewage 54 from the
drain line 50 as the obstruction 52 is being removed and sewage is displaced
by the rod/cable.
While each clean-out plug 18 in FIGS. 1 through 4 is shown with
male threads that thread into female threads within the clean-out end 16 of
the
housing 12, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the plug 18 could be
-6-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
equipped with female threads that thread onto male threads on the
circumference of the clean-out end 16. Furthermore, while a male boss 42 is
shown for turning the plug 18, the end of plug 18 could be countersunk with a
feature (for example, 43 in FIG. 4) to permit the use of a ratchet,
screwdriver,
or any other suitable tool to rotate the plug 18 and eventually remove it from
the housing 12.
FIGS. 5 and 6 represent an embodiment of a ball valve-type clean-
out assembly 60 of this invention. Similar to the embodiments of FIGS. 1
through 4, the assembly 60 is adapted to be mounted to a sewer line (for
example, 50 in FIG. 2). The assembly 60 comprises a generally cylindrical-
shaped housing 62 having oppositely-disposed axial ends, one of which is a
mounting end 64 adapted to secure the assembly 60 to the sewer line while
the other is a clean-out end 66 equipped with a clean-out plug 68. Similar to
the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 4, the mounting end 64 can be equipped
with threads that permit mounting the assembly 60 on a drain line, and the
housing 62 is equipped with a drain 70 located at a lower side of its
circumference. The drain 70 can be closed with a drain plug (not shown),
similar to FIGS. 1 and 2.
The primary difference between the assembly 60 of FIGS. 5 and 6
and the assemblies 10 of FIGS. 1 through 4 is the use of a three-way ball
valve 72 instead of a plunger assembly 22 to regulate the flow of sewage
through the assembly 60. The ball valve 72 (shown only in FIG. 6) has a main
axial bore 74 and a radial bore 76, the latter of which is coaxial with the
rotational axis of the valve 72 and therefore is and remains aligned with the
drain 70 throughout the operation of the assembly 60. When the ball valve 72
is closed, the axial bore 74 is oriented transverse to the axis of the housing
62, such that the body of the ball valve 72 closes the mounting end 64,
thereby sealing sewage within the drain line and preventing its entry into the
housing 62. By turning the ball valve 72 with a handle 78 to align the axial
bore 74 with the axis of the housing 62, sewage is able to enter the bore 74
-7-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
and exit the housing 62 through the radial bore 76 and drain 70. As before, a
hose or other conduit can be threaded onto or otherwise attached to the drain
70. Once the sewage has been drained from the housing 62, the clean-out
plug 68 can be removed from the housing 62 to permit the insertion of a rod or
cable into the drain line through the clean-out end 66 of the housing and the
axial bore 74 of the valve 72. The housing 62 can remain on the drain line,
enabling continued use of the drain 70 (and any conduit attached thereto) to
remove sewage from the drain line as the obstruction is being removed and
sewage is displaced by the rod/cable.
FIGS. 7, 8A and 8B represent the adaptation of a ball valve-type
clean-out assembly 80 to a vertical section of a drain stack 100, such as of a
type typically found in commercial buildings. Similar to the embodiments of
FIGS. 1 through 6, the assembly 80 comprises a generally cylindrical-shaped
housing 82 with oppositely-disposed axial ends 84 and 86, both of which are
adapted to secure the assembly 80 to the stack 100. Similar to the previous
embodiments, the ends 84 and 86 can be attached with threads, clamps,
expansion seals, adhesives, etc., to the drain stack 100, and the housing 82
is
equipped with a drain 90 located at its circumference. The drain 90 is shown
closed with a drain plug 91.
The housing 82 contains a modified three-way ball valve 92 (shown
only in FIGS. 8A and 8B) with a main axial bore 94 and a radial bore 96
coaxial with the rotational axis of the valve 92, such that the radial bore 96
is
and remains aligned with the drain 90 throughout the operation of the
assembly 80. In contrast to the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the ball valve
92 is normally open (FIG. 8A) during the operation of the plumbing system,
with the axial bore 94 oriented in-line with the axis of the housing 82 to
permit
downward flow of sewage through the housing 82 and into the section of the
stack 100 beneath the housing 82. Because sewage is normally present
within the drain stack 100 and the housing 82, the radial bore 96 is also
filled
with sewage under a pressure head from the sewage above the valve 92. As
-8-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
seen in FIG. 8B, by turning the ball valve 92 about ninety degrees with a
handle 98, the axial bore 94 is no longer aligned with the axis of the housing
82 and the radial bore 96 is effectively isolated from the sewage above the
ball valve 92. Consequently, the drain plug 91 can be removed to permit
attachment of a hose or other conduit (not shown) to the drain 90, with any
spillage being limited to the small amount within the bores 94 and 96.
Thereafter, the ball valve 92 can be returned to the position in FIG. 8A to
allow
sewage above the valve 92 to flow downwardly through the axial bore 94 and
then through the radial bore 96 to exit the housing 82 through the drain 90
and
its attached conduit. Once the sewage has been drained from the housing 92
through the drain 90, a clean-out plug 88 located above the valve 92 can be
removed from the housing 82 to permit the insertion of a rod or cable into the
drain stack 100. During removal of the obstruction, the drain 90 (and any
conduit attached thereto) continues to remove sewage from the drain stack
100 as the obstruction is being removed and sewage is displaced by the
rod/cable.
The embodiments of FIGS. 9 through 15 differ from the preceding
embodiments in part due to the drainage mechanism effectively being a
permanent component of a clean-out plug, instead of a clean-out plug being a
removable component of the clean-out assembly.
FIGS. 9 and 10 represent a clean-out assembly 110 configured for
use as a clean-out or drain plug 118 equipped with a spigot 122 and adapted
to be attached (e.g., threaded) to a drain line (e.g., 50 in FIG. 2), such as
with
threads, clamps, expansion seals, adhesives, etc. The spigot 122 has a drain
120 that is preferably configured to permit the attachment of a garden hose or
other suitable conduit. In use, the spigot 122 is simply opened to drain
sewage from the sewer line downstream of an obstruction, and once drained
the plug 118 (along with the entire spigot 122 mounted thereto) can be
removed from the drain line, or a separate clean-out plug upstream of the plug
118 can be removed, to permit the insertion of a cable or rod into the drain
-9-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
line without risk of sewage spilling out as the plug 118 (or the separate
clean-
out plug) is being removed.
FIG. 11 also represents a clean-out assembly 160 configured for
use as a clean-out or drain plug 168. The assembly 160 of FIG. 11 primarily
differs from that of FIGS. 9 and 10 by replacing the spigot 122 with a housing
162, drain 170, and plunger assembly 172 mounted transverse to the housing
162. Similar to the plunger-type embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 4, the
plunger assembly 172 includes a threaded stem 182 threaded through a
threaded bore 184 of the housing 162, and a piston 174 attached to the end of
the stem 182 within the housing 162. The piston 174 is adapted to abut and
seal against a seat 178 surrounding the drain 170. A slotted head 186
opposite the piston 174 and outside the housing 162 enables the stem 182 to
be turned and threaded out through the housing 162, thereby backing the
piston 174 off the seat 178 to permit sewage to flow through the housing 162
and drain out through the drain 170. Once the drain line is drained of sewage,
the entire plug 168 (including the plunger assembly 172 within) can be
removed from the drain line, or a separate clean-out plug upstream of the plug
118 can be removed, to permit the insertion of a cable or rod into the drain
line without risk of sewage spilling out as the plug 168 (or the separate
clean-
out plug) is being removed.
Finally, FIGS. 12 through 15 represent clean-out assemblies 210
and 260, respectively, configured for use as clean-out or drain plugs 218 and
268. These assemblies 210 and 260 primarily differ from that of FIG. 11 by
replacing the plunger assembly 172 with a three-way ball valve 222. The ball
valve 222 is encased in a housing 212 equipped with a drain 220 at its lower
edge, with one end 214 of the housing 212 coupled to the plug 218/268 and
the opposite end 216 closed. The embodiments of FIGS. 12 and 13 and
FIGS. 14 and 15 differ primarily by the size of the housings 212 and their
internal components relative to their respective plugs 218 and 268.
-10-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
Similar to the ball valve-type embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, each
ball valve 222 has a main axial bore 224 and a radial bore 226, the latter of
which is coaxial with the rotational axis of the valve 222 and therefore is
and
remains aligned with the drain 220 throughout the operation of the assembly
210 and 260. When the ball valve 222 is closed, the axial bore 224 is oriented
transverse to the axis of the housing 212, such that the body of the ball
valve
222 closes the mounting end 214 of the housing 212, thereby sealing sewage
within the drain line and preventing its entry into the housing 212. By
turning
the ball valve 222 with a handle 228 to align the axial bore 224 with the axis
of
the housing 212, sewage is able to enter the bore 224 and exit the housing
212 through the radial bore 226 and drain 220. Once the drain line is drained
of sewage, the entire plug 218 or 268 (including the ball valve 222 within)
can
be removed from the drain line, or a separate clean-out plug upstream of the
plug 218 or 268 can be removed, to permit the insertion of a cable or rod into
the drain line without risk of sewage spilling out as the plug 218 or 268 (or
the
separate clean-out plug) is being removed.
In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 15, conventional plumbing-
grade materials can be used to form the components of the assemblies 10,
60, 80, 110, 160, 210 and 260. In FIGS. 1 through 4 and 11, the pistons 24
and 174 or at least their sealing faces 26 and 176 may be formed of rubber or
another pliable material.
While the invention has been described in terms of specific
embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled
in the art. For example, the invention could be employed on drain lines and
stacks of essentially any diameter, the functions of each component of the
fittings could be performed by components of different construction but
capable of a similar (though not necessarily equivalent) function, the
fittings
could differ in appearance and construction from the embodiments shown in
the Figures, and appropriate materials could be substituted for those noted.
Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the
-11-
CA 02675090 2009-08-07
CWCAS-214
specific embodiments illustrated in the Figures. It should also be understood
that the phraseology and terminology employed above are for the purpose of
disclosing the illustrated embodiments, and do not necessarily serve as
limitations to the scope of the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention
is
to be limited only by the following claims.
-12-
