Abstract: An improved hand held drain cleaning apparatus is disclosed which is of the type employing a flexible snake which is rotated and inserted into a waste line to remove blockage. The apparatus includes a housing in which the sanke is coiled and a guide tube extending from the housing and through which the snake passes for insertion into a waste line. A manually actuated sleeve assembly is provided on the guide for displacing resilient spring finger clamping elements into engagement with the snake to hold the snake against axial displacement relative to the housing during insertion and/or removal of the snake from the waste line and to clamp the snake against rotation relative to the guide tube and the housing during the drain cleaning operation.

Abstract: A drain cleaner machine having a drain cleaning cable storage drum rotatable on an axle which is fixedly mounted on the machine frame or chassis. The drum is provided with releasable retainer mechanism for positively locking the drum in place on the axle for rotation thereon while being quickly releasable to free the drum for easy removal from the axle.