Bulk material shipping container unloader

1. A bulk material shipping container unloader configured to support and facilitate unloading of a bulk material shipping container having a bottom end including a first bottom corner leg, a second bottom corner leg, a third bottom corner leg, and a fourth bottom corner leg, the bulk material shipping container unloader comprising:

a supporter including: (i) a first upstanding leg, (ii) a second upstanding leg, (iii) a third upstanding leg, (iv) a fourth upstanding leg, and (v) a plurality of leg stabilizers that are each fixedly connected to and extend from one of the upstanding legs;

a bottom end receiver fixedly connected to and supported by the first upstanding leg, the second upstanding leg, the third upstanding leg, and the fourth upstanding leg of the supporter, the bottom end receiver configured to support the bottom end of the bulk material shipping container, the bottom end receiver including:

(i) a plurality of support bases including a front support base, a rear support base spaced apart from the front support base, a first side support base fixedly connected to the front support base and the rear support base, and a second side support base spaced apart from the first side support base and fixedly connected to the front support base and the rear support base,

(ii) a plurality of upstanding walls fixedly connected to and extending above a plurality of the plurality of support bases and configured to engage the bulk material shipping container,

(iii) a plurality of stacking guides fixedly connected to and extending above the plurality of support bases, the plurality of stacking guides including a first stacking guide, a second stacking guide, a third stacking guide, and a fourth stacking guide, wherein one or more of the plurality of stacking guides is exterior with respect to one or more of the plurality of upstanding walls, and

(iv) a plurality of nesting supports fixedly connected to and extending above the plurality of support bases, the plurality of nesting supports including a first nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the first bottom corner leg of the bulk material shipping container, a second nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the second bottom corner leg of the bulk material shipping container, a third nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the third bottom corner leg of the bulk material shipping container, and a fourth nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the fourth bottom corner leg of the bulk material shipping container; and

a material director fixedly connected to the bottom end receiver via welding and supported by the bottom end receiver, the material director defining an upper opening and a lower opening, and including:

(i) a first downwardly extending material directing wall,

(ii) a second downwardly extending material directing wall,

(iii) a first downwardly extending material directing side wall fixedly connected to the first downwardly extending material directing wall and the second downwardly extending material directing wall, and

(iv) a second downwardly extending material directing side wall fixedly connected to the first downwardly extending material directing wall and the second downwardly extending material directing wall, and

wherein the first downwardly extending material directing wall, the second downwardly extending material directing wall, the first downwardly extending material directing side wall, and the second downwardly extending material directing side wall define a chamber having a fixed shape configured to receive material from the bulk material shipping container supported by the bottom end receiver and to direct the received material through the chamber.

2. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1 , wherein one of the downwardly extending material directing walls defines a material unloading port that defines the lower opening.

3. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1 , which includes a nozzle connected to one of the downwardly extending material directing walls.

4. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1 , wherein the first downwardly extending material directing side wall and the second downwardly extending material directing side wall extend downwardly toward each other.

5. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1 , wherein the first downwardly extending material directing side wall extends downwardly at an angle toward two of the upstanding legs of the supporter, and wherein the second downwardly extending material directing side wall extends downwardly at an angle toward two of the upstanding legs of the supporter.

6. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1 , wherein the first downwardly extending material directing side wall extends downwardly at an angle toward two of the upstanding legs of the supporter, wherein the second downwardly extending material directing side wall extends downwardly at an angle toward two of the upstanding legs of the supporter, and wherein the second downwardly extending material directing wall extends downwardly at an angle toward two of the upstanding legs of the supporter.

7. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1 , wherein the first downwardly extending material directing wall, the second downwardly extending material directing wall, the first downwardly extending material directing side wall, and the second downwardly extending material directing side wall are configured to direct the received material through the chamber and toward an area exterior to two of the upstanding legs of the supporter.

8. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1 , wherein the first upstanding leg, the second upstanding leg, the third upstanding leg, the fourth upstanding leg, and the plurality of leg stabilizers of the supporter are supported by movable members.

9. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of upstanding walls extend upwardly from outer portions of the plurality of support bases.

10. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1 , which includes a moveable portion attached to one of the downwardly extending material directing walls.

11. A bulk material shipping container unloader configured to support and facilitate unloading of a bulk material shipping container having a bottom end including a first bottom corner leg, a second bottom corner leg, a third bottom corner leg, and a fourth bottom corner leg, the bulk material shipping container unloader comprising:

a supporter including: (i) a steel first upstanding leg, (ii) a steel second upstanding leg, (iii) a steel third upstanding leg, (iv) a steel fourth upstanding leg, and (v) a plurality of steel leg stabilizers that are each welded to and extend from one of the upstanding legs;

a steel bottom end receiver welded to and supported by the first upstanding leg, the second upstanding leg, the third upstanding leg, and the fourth upstanding leg of the supporter, the bottom end receiver configured to support the bottom end of the bulk material shipping container, the bottom end receiver including:

(i) a plurality of support bases including a steel front support base, a steel rear support base spaced apart from the front support base, a steel first side support base welded to the front support base and the rear support base, and a steel second side support base spaced apart from the first side support base and welded to the front support base and the rear support base,

(ii) a plurality of steel upstanding walls welded to and extending above a plurality of the plurality of support bases and configured to engage the bulk material shipping container,

(iii) a plurality of steel stacking guides welded to and extending above the plurality of support bases, the plurality of stacking guides including a steel first stacking guide, a steel second stacking guide, a steel third stacking guide, and a steel fourth stacking guide, wherein one or more of the steel stacking guides is exterior with respect to the plurality of steel upstanding walls, and

(iv) a plurality of steel nesting supports welded to and extending above the plurality of support bases, the plurality of steel nesting supports including a steel first nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the first bottom corner leg of the bulk material shipping container, a steel second nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the second bottom corner leg of the bulk material shipping container, a steel third nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the third bottom corner leg of the bulk material shipping container, and a steel fourth nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the fourth bottom corner leg of the bulk material shipping container; and

a steel material director fixedly welded to the bottom end receiver and supported by the bottom end receiver, the material director defining an upper opening and a lower opening, and including:

(i) a steel first downwardly extending material directing wall,

(ii) a steel second downwardly extending material directing wall,

(iii) a steel first downwardly extending material directing side wall welded to the first downwardly extending material directing wall and the second downwardly extending material directing wall, and

(iv) a steel second downwardly extending material directing side wall welded to the first downwardly extending material directing wall and the second downwardly extending material directing wall, and

wherein the first downwardly extending material directing wall, the second downwardly extending material directing wall, the first downwardly extending material directing side wall, and the second downwardly extending material directing side wall define a chamber having a fixed shape configured to receive material from the bulk material shipping container supported by the bottom end receiver and to direct the received material through the chamber.

12. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 11 , wherein one of the downwardly extending material directing walls defines a material unloading port that defines the lower opening.

13. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 11 , which includes a nozzle connected to one of the downwardly extending material directing walls.

14. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 11 , wherein the first downwardly extending material directing side wall and the second downwardly extending material directing side wall extend downwardly toward each other.

15. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 11 , wherein the first downwardly extending material directing side wall extends downwardly at an angle toward two of the upstanding legs of the supporter, and wherein the second downwardly extending material directing side wall extends downwardly at an angle toward two of the upstanding legs of the supporter.

16. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 11 , wherein the first downwardly extending material directing side wall extends downwardly at an angle toward two of the upstanding legs of the supporter, wherein the second downwardly extending material directing side wall extends downwardly at an angle toward two of the upstanding legs of the supporter, and wherein the second downwardly extending material directing wall extends downwardly at an angle toward two of the upstanding legs of the supporter.

17. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 11 , wherein the first downwardly extending material directing wall, the second downwardly extending material directing wall, the first downwardly extending material directing side wall, and the second downwardly extending material directing side wall are configured to direct the received material through the chamber and toward an area exterior to two of the upstanding legs of the supporter.

18. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 11 , wherein the first upstanding leg, the second upstanding leg, the third upstanding leg, the fourth upstanding leg, and the plurality of leg stabilizers of the supporter are supported by movable members.

19. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of upstanding walls extend upwardly from outer portions of the plurality of the support bases.

20. The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 11 , which includes a moveable portion attached to one of the downwardly extending material directing walls.