SUPPORT APPARATUS FOR MOVING PROPPANT FROM A CONTAINER IN A PROPPANT DISCHARGE SYSTEM
An apparatus for moving proppant from a container has a frame with a surface for suitable for receiving a container thereon, a hopper affixed to the frame, and a conveyor having a surface positioned below the hopper. The hopper has an opening at or adjacent to a lower end thereof. The hopper is suitable for receiving proppant from the container. The surface of the conveyor is suitable for receiving the proppant a discharged through the opening of the hopper. A receptacle is translatably positioned at the surface of the frame. A metering gate is translatably positioned adjacent to the opening of the hopper.
1 . A system to move proppant from a plurality of proppant containers, the system comprising:
a plurality of containers each having proppant stored therein, each of the plurality of containers having ramps to direct proppant through an opening at a bottom of the container when proppant is positioned in the container, the opening being covered by a gate that is movable between an open position that allows proppant to flow through the opening and a closed position that blocks proppant from flowing through the opening;
a frame having a surface positioned to receive a plurality of containers when positioned thereon, the frame including spaced apart rails forming at least a portion of the surface, a plurality of legs extending downwardly from respective corners of the frame, and open areas positioned between the legs to grant visual access to an area below the surface of the frame; and
one or more hoppers positioned below the surface and connected to the frame such that an inlet to each of the one or more hoppers is proximate the spaced apart rails, the one or more hoppers each including an opening adjacent a lower end thereof, the one or more hoppers being positioned to receive proppant from one or more of the plurality of containers when the one or more of the plurality of containers is positioned on the surface of the frame and the gate of the one or more of the plurality of containers is in the open position.
2 . A system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a metering gate translatably positioned adjacent the opening of the one or more hoppers, and a metering gate actuator operably connected to the metering gate to move the metering gate between a closed position and an open position, the closed position being to retain proppant in the one or more hoppers, the open position being to selectively releasing proppant from the one or more hoppers.
3 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the opening of the one or more hoppers includes a plurality of slots extending thereacross, adjacent pairs of the plurality of slots including a solid portion therebetween, the metering gate including a plurality of slots extending thereacross with adjacent pairs of the plurality of slots of the metering gate including a solid portion therebetween, the solid portions of the metering gate being aligned with the plurality of slots of the opening of the one or more hoppers when the metering gate is in the closed position, the plurality of slots of the metering gate being aligned with a plurality of slots of the opening of the one or more hoppers when the metering gate is in the open position.