Anti-rotation apparatus and method and a pipe assembly and a system having same

A method of forming a pipe joint having an anti-rotation feature and an axis, the method comprising:

• providing a first joint part having one or more locking grooves formed in an outer surface of the first joint part;
• installing a retaining portion of a body of a stop piece into a receiving receptacle of a second joint part, whereby a locking part of the body protrudes from an inner surface of the second joint part and is movable in a radial direction;
• inserting the first joint part into the second joint part to an extent that the locking part and the one or more locking grooves are circumferentially aligned with one another;
• and
• when the locking part is not yet axially aligned with any of the one or more locking grooves, facilitating rotation of the first joint part and the second joint part relative to one another until the locking part engages one of the one or more locking grooves, thereby preventing relative rotation about the axis between the first joint part and the second joint part.

A pipe joint assembly comprising:

• a first pipe having a first pipe first end and a first pipe second end, the first pipe first end defining a spigot end of the first pipe;
• a second pipe having a second pipe first end and a second pipe second end, the second pipe second end defining a belled end of the second pipe, the spigot end of the first pipe inserted into the belled end of the second pipe;
• and
• an anti-rotation apparatus configured to prevent relative rotation between the first pipe and the second pipe,
• wherein the anti-rotation apparatus includes a stop piece installed in a radial direction through a wall of the belled end of the second pipe, and
• wherein a locking part of the stop piece is received in a locking groove in an outer surface of a wall of the spigot end of the first pipe.

A drop pipe system comprising:

• a pump configured to be installed below ground;
• at least one power cord configured to extend from above ground level to the pump below ground level and to deliver power for operating the pump;
• a pipe string including a plurality of pipes, the pipe string having one end connected to the pump and another end accessible near ground level;
• a first pipe of the plurality of pipes having a first pipe first end and a first pipe second end;
• a second pipe of the plurality of pipes having a second pipe first end and a second pipe second end, the first pipe first end connected to the second pipe second end to form a pipe joint;
• and
• an anti-rotation apparatus at the pipe joint configured to prevent relative rotation between the first pipe and the second pipe when the pump is operated,
• wherein the anti-rotation apparatus includes a stop piece installed in a radial direction through a wall the pipe joint, and
• wherein a locking part of the stop piece is received in a locking groove in an outer surface of another wall of the pipe joint.