Patent ID: 8267672

Claim:
An ultrahigh pressure pump, comprising: (a) a frame including an outer frame pivot; (b) a crankshaft rotatably mounted in the frame, the crankshaft having a journal comprising a surface offset from a rotational axis of the crankshaft; (c) at least one telescoping pump subassembly having inner and outer ends, wherein the outer end is carried by the outer frame pivot so as to allow pivotal swinging movement of the pump subassembly about the outer frame pivot, and the inner end is pivotally attached to the journal, such that the pump subassembly can reciprocate substantially without side loads thereupon, the pump subassembly including: (i) an outer member having inner and outer ends, the outer end received in the outer frame pivot and the inner end including a cylinder having an inner bore formed therein; (ii) a inner member having an inner pump pivot disposed at an inner end thereof, an outwardly extending piston rod, and a coaxial outer sleeve surrounding the piston rod in spaced-apart relationship thereto, wherein the piston rod is received in the inner bore and the cylinder is received in the outer sleeve; (iii) a first restraining element disposed at a first position along the axis of the pump subassembly, the first restraining element configured to oppose lateral misalignment forces between the piston rod and the cylinder; and (iv) a second restraining element disposed at a second position along the axis of the pump subassembly spaced away from the first position, the second restraining element configured to oppose lateral misalignment forces between the piston rod and the cylinder.