Drill pump with fixed position bushing

Abstract

A drill powered pump is provided. The pump includes a housing, an impeller mounted within the housing and a pair of bushings that support opposite ends of the support shaft of the impeller. The bushings are carried by the housing. Anti-rotation arrangements are provided to prevent rotation of the bushings relative to the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drill pump comprising:
 an impeller having a support shaft that defines a rotational axis;   a housing defining an impeller cavity in which the impeller is mounted, the housing defining an inlet and an outlet that fluidly communicates with the impeller cavity, the housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the second housing portion operably securable to the first housing portion to form the impeller cavity therebetween;   a first bushing carried by the first housing portion supporting a first end of the support shaft;   a second bushing carried by the second housing portion supporting a second end of the support shaft;   a first anti-rotation arrangement between the first bushing and the first housing portion to prevent rotation of the first bushing relative to the first housing portion;   a second anti-rotation arrangement between the second bushing and the second housing portion to prevent rotation of the second bushing relative to the second housing portion.   
     
     
         2 . The drill pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second anti-rotation arrangements rely on mechanical interference to prevent rotation. 
     
     
         3 . The drill pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second anti-rotation arrangement are not the result of a friction fit between the first bushing and the first housing portion and between the second bushing and the second housing portion. 
     
     
         4 . The drill pump of  claim 1 , wherein first housing portion defines a first bushing carrying cavity, the first bushing being carried within the first bushing carrying cavity of the first housing portion, the first bushing carrying cavity having a non-circular inner periphery that cooperates with a corresponding portion of the first bushing to prevent rotation of the first bushing; wherein second housing portion defines a second bushing carrying cavity, the second bushing being carried within the second bushing carrying cavity of the second housing portion, the second bushing carrying cavity having a non-circular inner periphery that cooperates with a corresponding portion of the second bushing to prevent rotation of the second bushing. 
     
     
         5 . The drill pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first anti rotation arrangement includes a slot provided by one of the first bushing or the first housing and a key that extends into the slot that is provided by the other one of the first housing or first bushing; the second anti rotation arrangement includes a slot provided by one of the second bushing or the second housing and a key that extends into the slot that is provided by the other one of the second housing or second bushing. 
     
     
         6 . The drill pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first bushing has a non-continuous cylindrical outer periphery and the first housing includes a key that extends into engagement with the non-continuous outer periphery of the first bushing to prevent rotation therebetween; and the second bushing has a non-continuous cylindrical outer periphery and the second housing includes a key that extends into engagement with the non-continuous outer periphery of the second bushing to prevent rotation therebetween. 
     
     
         7 . The drill pump of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second bushings are rotation symmetric and include a central hub and a plurality of spokes that extend radially outward therebetween and define slots between adjacent spokes. 
     
     
         8 . A method of forming a drill pump comprising:
 carrying first bushing with a first housing portion such that the first bushing cannot rotate relative to the first housing portion due to an anti-rotation arrangement therebetween;   carrying a second bushing to a second housing portion such that the second bushing cannot rotate relative to the second housing portion due to an anti-rotation arrangement therebetween;   mounting an impeller to the first and second bushings for rotation;   connecting the first and second housing portions to form an internal cavity in which the impeller is mounted, the internal cavity being in fluid communication with an inlet port and an outlet port such.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the steps of carrying the first and second bushings includes inserting a key of each of the anti-rotation arrangements into a groove of each of the anti-rotation arrangements. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the key of each anti-rotation arrangement is provided by the housing portions and the groove is provided by the bushings.