Trailer-mounted proppant delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814767-B2
Application number	US-201916244185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2019
Priority date	Jul 23, 2012
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus and process for delivering proppant to a well site has a trailer with a bed thereon and at least one track of rollers extending in parallel relationship to the longitudinal axis of the trailer. The track of rollers extend substantially for an entire length of the bed of the trailer. At least one proppant container is translatably positioned on the track of rollers. The proppant container is movable along the array of rollers from one end of the bed to an opposite end of the bed. A bin can be removably positioned below the bed of the trailer in a position rearward of the front end of the trailer and forward of a rear end of the trailer so as to allow the proppant container to discharge into the bin. A conveyor is cooperative with the bin so as to move proppant from the bin to a location at the well site.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for delivering proppant to a well site from a plurality of proppant containers, the apparatus comprising:
a support structure having an upper surface defining a bed positioned to receive a first proppant container selected from the plurality of proppant containers in a desired location, the support structure having one or more support members to provide structural support for the plurality of proppant containers when positioned thereon, the plurality of proppant containers being any plurality of containers capable of transporting proppant; and
a bin positioned below the first proppant container and proximate the upper surface, the bin being at least partially bound by the support members of the support structure, having one or more slanted sides to funnel the proppant downward and away from the one or more of the plurality of proppant containers, and having a flow path extending through the bin, the bin being rigidly coupled to the support structure, and the one or more slanted sides of the bin extending downwardly and inwardly toward the flow path and being positioned to allow flow of the proppant to be directed out of the bin via gravity feed, the flow path of the bin being further positioned to substantially underlie an outlet of the first proppant container when positioned on the support structure so that proppant readily flows by gravity feed from the first proppant container outlet and into the bin to be directed away from the proppant container.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising conveying means positioned proximate the bin to receive proppant from one or more of the plurality of proppant containers when one or more of the plurality of proppant containers is positioned to overlie the bin and for conveying the proppant received from the bin and away from one or more of the plurality of proppant containers.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the conveying means selected from a group consisting of an auger, a conveyor, a chute or a combination thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising wheels coupled to the support structure to facilitate movement of the support structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first proppant container in the desired position is positioned substantially centered over an inlet of the bin when positioned on the support structure and overlying the bin such that when proppant flows through an outlet in a bottom portion of the container the proppant is funneled along the one or more slanted sides and toward the flow path.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises vertical support members arranged proximate the bin, the vertical support members being in a spaced apart relationship to form one or more openings to enable visual access to the one or more slanted sides of the bin.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a foot associated with the support structure, the foot being adjustable to change a horizontal orientation of the bed of the support structure.

8. An apparatus for delivering proppant to a well site from a plurality of proppant containers, the apparatus comprising:
a support structure having an upper surface defining a bed for receiving a first proppant container selected from the plurality of proppant containers in a desired location, the support structure having one or more support members to provide structural support for the plurality of proppant containers when positioned thereon, the plurality of proppant containers being any plurality of containers capable of transporting proppant; and
a bin positioned below the first proppant container in the desired location and proximate the upper surface, the bin being at least partially bound by the support members of the support structure, having one or more slanted sides to funnel the proppant downward and away from the one or more of the plurality of proppant containers, having an inlet positioned proximate to the bed and to substantially underlie an outlet of one or more of the plurality of proppant containers when positioned on the support structure to overlie the bin, and being rigidly coupled to the support structure, and the one or more slanted sides of the bin further extending downwardly and inwardly toward a flow path positioned to allow flow of the proppant to be directed out of the bin via gravity feed.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising conveying means positioned proximate the bin to receive proppant from one or more of the plurality of proppant containers when one or more of the plurality of proppant containers is positioned to overlie the bin and for conveying the proppant received from the bin and away from the proppant container.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the conveying means selected from a group consisting of an auger, a conveyor, a chute or a combination thereof.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first proppant container in the desired position is positioned substantially centered over an inlet of the bin when positioned on the support structure and overlying the bin such that when proppant flows through an outlet in a bottom portion of the container the proppant is funneled along the one or more slanted sides and toward the flow path.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the support structure includes a plurality of vertical structural support members arranged proximate the bin, the plurality of vertical structural support members being in a spaced apart relationship to form one or more openings to enable visual access to an exterior surface of the one or more slanted sides of the bin.

Assignees

• Oren Tech Llc

Inventors

• Oren Joshua

Classifications

• B60P1/6481

  Specially adapted for carrying different numbers of container or containers of different sizes · CPC title

• B60P1/52 Primary

  using rollers in the load-transporting element · CPC title

• B60P1/56

  the load-transporting element having bottom discharging openings · CPC title