Cradle for proppant container having tapered box guides

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11465834-B2
Application number	US-202016987139-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2020
Priority date	Jul 23, 2012
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus to support a proppant container includes a frame to receive and support the proppant container. The frame has a top surface that receives and positions the proppant container in an elevated position. The apparatus also includes a box guide assembly positioned on the top surface a box guide assembly connected to the top surface of the frame for defining a cradle section having four corners. The box guide assembly including a box guide positioned at each of the corners. Each box guide has a corner member extending upwardly from the top surface along a peripheral edge of the frame and a guide member extending adjacent the corner member. The guide member include an inclined face for aligning the proppant container in the cradle section. The box guide assembly guides the proppant container into the cradle section when loaded onto the frame in the elevated position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus to support a plurality of proppant containers, the apparatus comprising:
a frame to receive and support the plurality of proppant containers in a side-by-side arrangement, the frame having a top surface to receive and position each of the plurality of proppant containers in an elevated position when having proppant positioned in one or more of the plurality of proppant containers; and
a plurality of box guide assemblies connected to the top surface of the frame respectively to guide each of the plurality of proppant containers onto the top surface in the side-by-side arrangement when being loaded thereon in the elevated position, each of the plurality of box guide assemblies including:
one or more corner assemblies extending upwardly from the top surface and positioned along a peripheral edge of the frame to at least partially define a desired location for positioning the one or more of the plurality of proppant containers; and
one or more guide members extending upwardly and adjacent the one or more corner assemblies to enhance guiding of the one or more of the plurality of proppant containers onto the top surface, wherein each of the one or more guide members includes a tapered portion extending distally from the top surface such that a first width of the tapered portion at a top portion of one of the one or more guide members is less than a second width of the tapered portion at a bottom portion of the one of the one or more guide members, the tapered portion configured for contactingly directing the one or more proppant containers to the desired location when the proppant container is being positioned thereon;
wherein the tapered portion of each of the one or more guide members further comprises an inclined edge extending between a proximal side of the one or more guide members and a distal side of the one or more guide members, the inclined edge being downwardly sloped and extending from a periphery of the frame toward the desired location; and
wherein the inclined edge further extends from the top portion of the one or more guide members to a first end of the bottom portion of the one or more guide members, the inclined edge extending laterally away from the proximal side, and each of the one or more guide members being bound by a periphery of the frame.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of box guide assemblies includes two or more box guide assemblies positioned at corners of the desired location, the respective one or more guide members of the two or more box guide assemblies arranged such that alignment of the container relative to the desired location is adjusted in at least two axial directions via the two or more box guide assemblies.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more guide members is integrally formed with one or more wall segments of each of the one or more corner assemblies, the one or more guide members being positioned closer to the desired location than the one or more wall segments.

4. An apparatus to support a plurality of proppant containers, the apparatus comprising:
a frame to receive and support the plurality of proppant containers in a side-by-side arrangement, the frame having a top surface to receive and position each of the plurality of proppant containers in an elevated position when having proppant positioned in one or more of the plurality of proppant containers; and
a plurality of box guide assemblies connected to the top surface of the frame respectively to guide each of the plurality of proppant containers onto the top surface in the side-by-side arrangement when being loaded thereon in the elevated position, each of the plurality of box guide assemblies including:
one or more corner assemblies extending upwardly from the top surface and positioned along a peripheral edge of the frame to at least partially define a desired location for positioning the one or more of the plurality of proppant containers; and
one or more guide members extending upwardly and adjacent the one or more corner assemblies to enhance guiding of the one or more of the plurality of proppant containers onto the top surface;

wherein each of the one or more guide members of the plurality of guide box assemblies includes a second tapered portion arranged substantially perpendicularly to the tapered portion, the tapered portion positioned along one wall segment of the one or more corner assemblies and the second tapered portion positioned along the other wall segment of the one or more corner assemblies.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 , where a first width of each of the one or more guide members is less than a wall width of one or more wall segments of each of the one or more corner assemblies, and wherein a first thickness of each of the one or more guide members is less than a wall width of the one or more wall segments of each of the one or more corner assemblies.

6. An apparatus to support a proppant container, the apparatus comprising:
a cradle including an upper frame having longitudinal upper support members and lateral upper support member forming a top surface and vertical support member extending from the upper frame, wherein the cradle is configured to support the proppant container in an elevated position; and
a box guide assembly connected to the top surface of the frame for defining a cradle section having four corners, the box guide assembly including a box guide positioned at each of the corners, each box guide including a corner member extending upwardly from the top surface along a peripheral edge of the frame and a guide member extending adjacent the corner member and having an inclined face for aligning the proppant container in the cradle section and a vertical face extending from the inclined face to the top surface;
wherein the box guide assembly guides the proppant container into the cradle section when loaded onto the frame in the elevated position.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the inclined face includes a first portion extending from the corner member and downwardly sloping in a longitudinal direction toward the cradle section for directing the container relative to the longitudinal upper support members into the cradle section.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the inclined face includes a second portion extending from the corner member and downwardly sloping in a lateral direction toward the cradle section for directing the container relative to the lateral upper support members into the cradle section.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the inclined face includes a first portion extending from the corner member and downwardly sloping in a lateral direction toward the cradle section for directing the container relative to the lateral upper support members into the cradle section.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the corner member includes a first wall and a second wall extending substantially perpendicular to the first wall with the guide member being disposed between the first and second wall.

11. An apparatus to support a plurality of proppant containers, the apparatus comprising:
a cradle including an upper frame having longitudinal upper support members and lateral upper support member forming a top surface and vertical support member extending from the upper frame, wherein the cradle is configured to support first and second proppant containers in an elevated position; and
a box guide assembly connected to the top surface of the frame for defining a first cradle section with four corners in a side-by-side arrangement with a second corner section with four corners, the box guide assembly

Assignees

• Oren Tech Llc

Inventors

• Oren John
• Oren Joshua

Classifications

• B65D2590/0091

  Ladders · CPC title

• B65D88/32 Primary

  in multiple arrangement · CPC title

• B65D88/30

  specially adapted to facilitate transportation from one utilisation site to another (collapsible hoppers B65D88/52) · CPC title

• B65D90/125 Primary

  Docking stations, i.e. for the temporary support of the container · CPC title

• B65G63/004

  for containers · CPC title