Water pump assembly

Abstract

A portable, fully submersible, high volume water pump, driven by a hydraulic powered motor is disclosed for rapidly supplying a large volume of water at useable pressures to an extinguishment operation involving a burning object or building, utilizing a local water source such as a pond, pool, portable basin, or municipal hydrant. The pump is fully portable and, in a preferred embodiment, used in conjunction with an extensible boom arm of a utility vehicle such as a fire engine. The pump can supply water from a source having as little as two inches of water depth and is simple in design and manufacturability.

1 . A portable water pump assembly for pumping fluids comprising: 
 a centrifugal pump, comprising a rotatable impeller and an impeller housing containing said impeller;    a motor assembly;    a coupling means having a throughbore disposed between said pump and said motor assembly and detachably attached to said centrifugal pump; and    a pump housing having an inner volume wherein said centrifugal pump, motor assembly and coupling means are contained within and detachably attached thereto, said motor assembly being detachably attached to said coupling means, and provides a rotatable force which is transferred through said coupling means by means of a splined drive shaft to said centrifugal pump impeller, which is couplingly attached to said splined drive shaft.    
   
   
       2 . The portable water pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said impeller housing has an axial intake and a tangential discharge, said discharge is journally attached to a discharge pipe passing through said housing to the outside, and having a coupling means disposed on the exterior end for detachably attaching to a hose.  
   
   
       3 . The water pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said motor is powered by a pressure compensated load sensing hydraulic system.  
   
   
       4 . The water pump assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said hydraulic system is attached to a vehicle having a boom arm.  
   
   
       5 . The water pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said housing is manufactured from steel.  
   
   
       6 . The water pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said housing is manufactured from aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       7 . The water pump assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said intake of said impeller housing has an intake screen and is positioned proximal a bottom side of said pump housing, said housing having a plurality of apertures through which fluid is drawn into said housing and said centrifugal pump.  
   
   
       8 . The water pump assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said pump housing comprises a means of attaching said water pump assembly to an extendable boom arm attached to a vehicle, allowing the lowering of said pump assembly into a volume of fluid, such as water, proximate said vehicle.  
   
   
       9 . The water pump assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the intake screen is positioned within said pump housing so as to allow said pump to draw in fluid from a volume of fluid having a depth of at least two inches.  
   
   
       10 . A portable water pump assembly for pumping fluids comprising: 
 a centrifugal pump, comprising a rotatable impeller and an impeller housing containing said impeller;    a motor assembly, said motor being powered by a pressure compensated load sensing hydraulic system attached to a vehicle;    a coupling means having a throughbore disposed between said pump and said motor assembly and detachably attached to said centrifugal pump; and    a pump housing having an inner volume wherein said centrifugal pump, motor assembly and coupling means are contained within and detachably attached thereto, said motor assembly being detachably attached to said coupling means, and provides a rotatable force which is transferred through said coupling means by means of a splined drive shaft to said centrifugal pump impeller, which is couplingly attached to said splined drive shaft, said impeller housing having an axial intake and a tangential discharge, said discharge being journally attached to a discharge pipe passing through said housing to the outside, and having a coupling means disposed on the exterior end for detachably attaching to a hose, said intake of said impeller housing having an intake screen, positioned proximal a bottom side of said pump housing, said housing having a plurality of apertures through which fluid is drawn into said housing and said centrifugal pump from a volume of fluid having a depth of at least two inches, said pump housing further comprising a means of attaching said water pump assembly to an extendable boom arm attached to said vehicle, allowing the lowering of said pump assembly into a volume of fluid, such as water, proximate said vehicle.    
   
   
       11 . A method of delivering a rapid supply of water from a remote source comprising utilizing the portable water pump assembly of  claim 10  stored on a vehicle and attached to a extendable boom arm of said vehicle by: 
 (a) maneuvering said vehicle proximate a source of water from the following list comprising a swimming pool, a pond, a stream, a lake, portable basin;    (b) attaching a predetermined length of hose to said discharge of said pump;    (c) extending said boom arm over said source of water and lowering said pump assembly into said water; and    (d) engaging said hydraulic system so as to provide power to said pump assembly, thereby drawing water from said intake of said impeller housing and discharging it through said hose.