Trailer-mounted proppant delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9421899-B2
Application number	US-201414175340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2014
Priority date	Feb 7, 2014
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

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

I claim:

1. An apparatus for delivering proppant to a well site, the apparatus comprising:
a trailer having a bed thereon, said bed having a longitudinal axis, said trailer having wheels connected thereto so as to allow said trailer to move along an underlying surface;
at least one track of rollers extending in parallel relationship to said longitudinal axis of said bed of said trailer;
at least one proppant container translatably positioned on the track of rollers, the proppant container movable along the track of rollers from one end of said bed to an opposite end of said bed; and
a conveying means for receiving proppant from the proppant container, the conveying means being rigidly coupled to the trailer at a predetermined location along a length of the at least one track of rollers, the proppant container being movable along the rollers from a location proximate the one end of the bed to a location substantially aligned with the conveying means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the conveying means comprising:
a bin positioned below said bed of said trailer in a position rearward of a front end of said trailer and forward of a rear end of said trailer; and
a conveyor cooperative with said bin so as to move proppant from said bin to another location, the proppant being discharged from the proppant container through said bed of said trailer and into said bin.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , said at least one track of rollers comprising:
a first track of rollers extending longitudinally along said bed of said trailer; and
a second track of rollers extending longitudinally along said bed of said trailer, said second track of rollers being in spaced parallel relationship to said first track of rollers.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , said at least one proppant container comprising:
a plurality of proppant containers arranged in end-to-end relationship along said bed of said trailer, wherein one proppant container of the plurality of proppant containers drives adjacent proppant containers of the plurality of proppant containers along a length of the bed when a plane of the rollers is substantially flush with a plane of the bed.

5. A process for delivering proppant to a well site, the process comprising:
forming a trailer having at least one track of rollers extending longitudinally along a bed of said trailer;
placing a first proppant container onto the track of rollers adjacent one end of said bed of said trailer;
moving said proppant container along the track of rollers to a position away from one end of said bed of said trailer;
discharging proppant from said proppant container at said position; and
conveying the discharge proppant to a location at the well site.

6. The process of claim 5 , the step of moving said proppant container comprising:
placing a second proppant container onto the track of rollers adjacent the one end of said bed of said trailer such that said second proppant container bears against said first proppant container so as to cause said first proppant container to translate along said bed of rollers.

7. The process of claim 6 , the step of moving further comprising:
placing a plurality of proppant containers onto the track of rollers so as to urge said first container to said position for the step of discharging.

8. The process of claim 5 , further comprising:
moving the discharge proppant container along the track of rollers to a position adjacent an opposite end of said bed of said trailer.

9. The process of claim 8 , further comprising:
removing the discharge proppant container from said bed of said trailer from the position adjacent the opposite end.

10. The process of claim 5 , the step of conveying comprising:
placing a bin below said bed of said trailer at a location away from said one end of said bed of said trailer, the proppant container being discharged into said bin; and
conveying the proppant from said bin to the location at the well site.

11. The process of claim 5 , the step of forming a trailer comprising:
affixing a pair of tracks of rollers onto said bed of said trailer, said pair of tracks being parallel relation and extending substantially for an entire length of said bed of said trailer.

12. The process of claim 5 , the first proppant container having an openable discharge outlet, the step of discharging further comprising:
opening the discharge outlet when said first proppant container is moved to the position away from said one end of said bed of said trailer.

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

• B60P1/56

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

• B60P1/52 Primary

  using rollers in the load-transporting element · CPC title