US 11,814,242 B2
Mobile support structure for bulk material containers
Thomas W. Hawkins, Marlow, OK (US); Bryan John Lewis, Duncan, OK (US); Tori H. Miller, Duncan, OK (US); Wesley John Warren, Marlow, OK (US); Austin Carl Schaffner, Duncan, OK (US); Glenn Ray Fowler, Duncan, OK (US); Bryan Chapman Lucas, Duncan, OK (US); and Calvin L. Stegemoeller, Duncan, OK (US)
Assigned to Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Nov. 26, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/695,723.
Application 16/695,723 is a continuation of application No. 15/522,601, granted, now 10,526,136, previously published as PCT/US2015/041543, filed on Jul. 22, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2020/0095060 A1, Mar. 26, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/12 (2006.01); B65D 90/12 (2006.01); B62D 63/06 (2006.01); B65D 88/16 (2006.01); B65D 88/26 (2006.01); B65D 90/20 (2006.01); B65D 90/48 (2006.01); B65D 90/66 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 90/125 (2013.01) [B62D 63/06 (2013.01); B65D 88/1612 (2013.01); B65D 88/26 (2013.01); B65D 90/20 (2013.01); B65D 90/48 (2013.01); B65D 90/66 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a portable support structure for holding a plurality of portable containers of bulk material, the portable container of bulk material having a discharge gate and being separate from the support structure, wherein the support structure comprises:
a plurality of frames each comprising a gravity feed outlet and a rectangular support for receiving and holding one of the plurality of portable containers thereon; and
a plurality of locator features disposed on an upper face of each rectangular support, wherein the upper face of each rectangular support is generally planar and located at a singular level, wherein the plurality of locator features are located at the singular level, wherein the plurality of locator features are configured to receive at least one corresponding engagement feature of the corresponding portable container, wherein the corresponding portable container is supported on the corresponding frame such that the portable container is selectively removable from the upper face of the frame and replaceable by another portable container;
wherein each gravity feed outlet is coupled to and positioned within the corresponding frame below the upper face of the rectangular support and configured for routing the bulk material released via the discharge gate from the corresponding portable container directly into an open space within one of the plurality of frames configured to received a blender inlet, without routing the bulk material onto a conveyor.