Proppant discharge system and a container for use in such a proppant discharge system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A proppant container to transport and store fracking proppant, the proppant container comprising:
- a box having a lower portion, a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, an upper portion, an inlet formed in the upper portion, and an outlet positioned proximate the lower portion, the box positioned to receive fracking proppant therein, the box also having a frame positioned to form a cage-like structural configuration, the cage-like structural configuration including one or more linear structural supports extending horizontally in a longitudinal direction across each side wall of the pair of side walls and each end wall of the pair of end walls of the box at locations between edges of the box thereby to strengthen the box when the fracking proppant is positioned therein;
two or more ramps each extending from either (a) a side wall of the pair of side walls or (b) an end wall of the pair of end walls, or a combination thereof, and toward the outlet, the two or more ramps being positioned to form a funnel-like shape so that the fracking proppant when positioned in the box and above inner confines of the two or more ramps flows free downwardly through the box toward the outlet, the box and inner confines of the two or more ramps collectively positioned to receive fracking proppant therein; and
a gate including a flat plate slidably supported in a track positioned proximate the outlet, a pin extending horizontally from the gate and a receptacle having a vertical slot receiving the pin, the receptacle being configured to receive hydraulic actuation for sliding the flat plate in the track between a first position covering the outlet and a second position opening the outlet when the fracking proppant is positioned in the box and within the inner confines of the ramps.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A proppant discharge system has a container with an outlet formed at a bottom thereof and a gate slidably affixed at the outlet so as to be movable between a first position covering the outlet to a second position opening the outlet, and a support structure having an actuator thereon. The container is removably positioned on the top surface of the support structure. The actuator is engageable with gate so as to move the gate from the first position to the second position. A conveyor underlies the container so as to receive proppant as discharged from the container through the outlet. The container is a ten foot ISO container.
545 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A proppant container to transport and store fracking proppant, the proppant container comprising:
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a box having a lower portion, a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, an upper portion, an inlet formed in the upper portion, and an outlet positioned proximate the lower portion, the box positioned to receive fracking proppant therein, the box also having a frame positioned to form a cage-like structural configuration, the cage-like structural configuration including one or more linear structural supports extending horizontally in a longitudinal direction across each side wall of the pair of side walls and each end wall of the pair of end walls of the box at locations between edges of the box thereby to strengthen the box when the fracking proppant is positioned therein; two or more ramps each extending from either (a) a side wall of the pair of side walls or (b) an end wall of the pair of end walls, or a combination thereof, and toward the outlet, the two or more ramps being positioned to form a funnel-like shape so that the fracking proppant when positioned in the box and above inner confines of the two or more ramps flows free downwardly through the box toward the outlet, the box and inner confines of the two or more ramps collectively positioned to receive fracking proppant therein; and a gate including a flat plate slidably supported in a track positioned proximate the outlet, a pin extending horizontally from the gate and a receptacle having a vertical slot receiving the pin, the receptacle being configured to receive hydraulic actuation for sliding the flat plate in the track between a first position covering the outlet and a second position opening the outlet when the fracking proppant is positioned in the box and within the inner confines of the ramps. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A proppant container to transport and store fracking proppant, the proppant container comprising:
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a box having a lower portion, a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, an upper portion, an inlet formed in the upper portion, and an outlet positioned proximate the lower portion, the box also having a frame positioned to form a cage-like structural configuration and positioned to receive fracking proppant therein, the cage-like structural configuration including one or more linear structural supports extending horizontally across each side wall of the pair of side walls and each end wall of the pair of end walls of the box at locations between edges of the box and a plurality of vertical posts each positioned along intersecting planes between and connected to the side walls and the end walls so as to define a corner and further vertically extending between the upper portion of the box and the lower portion of the box thereby to strengthen the box when the fracking proppant is positioned therein; two or more ramps each extending from either (a) a side wall of the pair of side walls or (b) an end wall of the pair of end walls, or a combination thereof, and toward the outlet, the two or more ramps being positioned to form a funnel-like shape so that the fracking proppant when positioned therein flows free downwardly through the box toward the outlet; and a gate including a flat plate slidably supported in a track positioned proximate the outlet, a pin extending horizontally from the gate and a receptacle having a vertical slot receiving the pin, the receptacle being configured to receive hydraulic actuation for sliding the flat plate in the track between a first position covering the outlet and a second position opening the outlet. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A proppant container to transport and store fracking proppant, the proppant container comprising:
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a box having a lower portion, a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, an upper portion, an inlet formed in the upper portion, and an outlet positioned proximate the lower portion, the box also having a frame positioned to form a cage-like structural configuration and positioned to receive fracking proppant therein, the cage-like structural configuration including one or more linear structural supports extending horizontally across each side wall of the pair of side walls and each end wall of the pair of end walls of the box at locations between edges of the box and a plurality of vertical posts each positioned along intersecting planes between and connected to the side walls and the end walls so as to define a corner and further vertically extending between the upper portion of the box and the lower portion of the box thereby to strengthen the box when the fracking proppant is positioned therein and when another one of the proppant containers is stacked thereon when the proppant containers are positioned at a well-site; two or more ramps each extending from either (a) a side wall of the pair of side walls or (b) an end wall of the pair of end walls, or a combination thereof, and toward the outlet, the two or more ramps being positioned to form a funnel-like shape so that the fracking proppant when positioned therein flows free downwardly through the box toward the outlet, the box and inner confines of the two or more ramps collectively positioned to receive 48,000 pounds or less of the fracking proppant therein; and a gate including a flat plate slidably supported in a track positioned proximate the outlet, a pin extending horizontally from the gate and a receptacle having a vertical slot receiving the pin, the receptacle being configured to receive hydraulic actuation for sliding the flat plate in the track between a first position covering the outlet and a second position opening the outlet when the 48,000 pounds or less of the fracking proppant is positioned in the box and within the inner confines of the two or more ramps.
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Specification