The diagram below shows the Spartan Model 1065 cable machine. The following are the major components making up the machine:
Inner Drum
The inner drum is an important feature in any enclosed drum drain cleaning machine. The purpose of the inner drum is to prevent the cable from flipping over in the drum and tanglins as the drain snake torques against the clog. Without an inner drum you'll spend a lot of time rying to untangle your drain cable.
Outer (External) Drum
The outer drum holds the drain cleaning cable, sometimes referred to as a "sewer snake" or "drain snake". The outer drum will keep "sewer juice" contained inside the machine and prevent dirt or debris from releasing into the surrounding area.
Dial-A-Cable Power Feed
The power feed allows for quick cable changes and feeds cable in and out automatically. The power feed has three positions: Forward, Reverse, and Neutral. The drive design permits repair right in the field. The entire unit can be taken apart and put back in working order in about ten minutes. The power feed on the Spartan Model 1065, which weighs just over 10 pounds, will feed and retrieve a cable up to 30 feet per minute.
Cable and Cutting Tool Attachments
The drain cleaning cable itself is actually a tightly coiled, flexible wire spring that rotates in the pipe and, when it connects with a blockage, forms into a stiff rod that rams through the debris. The drain snake may have an attachment on its end. The attachments are designed to cut and clear whatever is blocking the sewer pipe. Attachments include blades of various shapes and edges, hooks for retrieval of debris, and drop heads that navigate bends in the pipe.
Air Foot Pedal (actuator)
To avoid electrical shock, which is one of the major hazards of sewer and drain cleaning, an air-activated foot switch is used instead of an electrical device. The machine operator will depress the air foot pedal to begin machine operation and feed the cable slowly into the pipe.