A system for maintaining conduits and pipes after their installation into a pipeline system used to transport material in a fluid or flowable form. The system includes a maintenance tool adopted for use inside the pipe, an umbilical attached to the maintenance tool for pulling the tool through the pipe; and a pluralities of bearings positioned around the umbilical in order to allow the tool to be pulled through the pipe around bends and turns in the pipe.

A combination toilet unblocking/cleaning apparatus for providing both a toilet unblocking and toilet cleaning tool in one convenient unit. The toilet unblocking tool further includes an adjustable auger, a combined tongs, and a detachable rod. Wherein, the adjustable auger includes two drain cleaning cable connected to a slider and slidable held in an elongated sleeve member; and the detachable rod is removably attached to the adjustable auger to form a combined tongs, constructed in such manner that the rod member can be used individually as drain rod. Also, the combination toilet cleaning tool is using the combined tongs as a handle with a plurality of different detachable bathroom accessories. Accessories may include a brush, a plunger, and a scraper; in which the brush, the plunger, and the scraper are configured to be selectively and removably coupled to the combined tongs.

Systems for energizing a drain cleaning cable within a drain line or other region of interest are described. A signal transmitter on an end portion of the cable enables the cable end portion to be sensed or located when in a pipe or conduit underground. Also described are electrically conductive drivetrains for transferring rotary power.

The cleaning device is for cleaning the inner surface of pipes. The cleaning device has two sleeves on a flexible shaft and chains extending between the sleeves. A forward end sleeve is not attached to the shaft and is biased by a spring on the shaft. The cleaning device can be adapted to different pipe sizes by altering rotation speed of the cleaning device. High rotation speed compresses the spring and moves the chains further away from the shaft to enable cleaning of larger diameter pipes with the cleaning device.

A feed mechanism for use with a drain cleaner includes a frame configured to be coupled to the drain cleaner. The frame including a cable passage defining a cable axis. The feed mechanism includes a plurality of rollers including a translatable roller. Each roller defines a roller axis. The translatable roller is moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The feed mechanism includes a mode selection member coupled to the frame and moveable between a first position in which each roller axis is parallel to the cable axis and the plurality of rollers are configured to spin the cable about the cable axis, and a second position in which each roller axis is non-parallel to the cable axis and the plurality of rollers are configured to move the cable in a first direction along the cable axis.

A drain cleaning device includes a drum, and a cable positioned within the drum. The cable is operable to be extended out of the drum and into a conduit. The drain cleaning device also includes a motor coupled to the drum to rotate the drum, a sensor operable to detect a characteristic of the cable, and a controller coupled to the sensor and the motor. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the characteristic of the cable and send an instruction to the motor to change an operating parameter of the motor based on the signal received from the sensor.

Drain cleaners are described that include rotatable drums which retain drain cleaning cable. Mounted on the rotatable drum is a motor and optional gearbox for imparting rotation to the drain cleaning cable. The drain cleaners can also include a cable clamp mounted on the rotatable drum. The drain cleaners are configured such that the rotatable drum is free of positional preference regardless of orientation of the drain cleaner.

A drain cleaning machine for moving a snake in a drain includes a rotating shell, a motor to rotate the rotating shell, and a radial drive mechanism coupled for rotation with the rotating shell and including a plurality of collets. The radial drive mechanism is switchable between an engaged state in which the one or more collets move toward a snake axis to engage the snake, and a disengaged state. A translate mechanism is coupled for rotation with the rotating shell and includes a plurality of wheels. The translate mechanism is switchable between an engaged state in which the wheels move toward the snake axis to engage the snake, and a disengaged state. A selection mechanism is configured to switch the radial drive mechanism from the disengaged state to the engaged state and configured to switch the translate mechanism from the disengaged state to the engaged state.

Cable handling devices, methods and systems are provided for securing and deploying, or retracting, one or more cables or hoses into or out of a pipe or cavity allowing inspection of the pipe or cavity. The cables and/or hoses may be coupled and moved together, or decoupled enabling them to be moved independently. A hand-held device with a housing for at least partially enclosing one or more cables or hoses, at least one coupling mechanism integrally attached to the housing, and a coupling control for coupling and decoupling the one or more cables or hoses may be provided. One or more of the cables may be connected to a camera disposed at the distal end of a cable thereby facilitating inspection of the pipe or cavity. Tools such as cutting devices or a jetter may be provided at the end of the one or more cables and/or hoses.

Soft start systems for electrically powered tools are described. The soft start systems use direction feedback signal(s) from a direction selection switch of the power tool. Also described are power tools using such soft start systems. In addition, electrical power circuits using the soft start systems are described.