A charging port 5 in an upper part is covered in an openable and closeable manner with a lid body 6 of a sliding door type (sliding type) that reciprocates horizontally. The lid body 6 reciprocates in conjunction with a movement of an operation member 50 provided in a side part of a container vessel 3 or at a location close to the side part. It is preferable that the charging port 5 includes an opening that is long along a length direction of the container vessel 3, and the lid body 6 reciprocates horizontally in a width direction of the container vessel 3 to open and close the charging port 5.

In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, a collapsible and optionally stackable storage container for bulk material is provided. The disclosed storage container includes a collapsible frame defined by a rigid upper support structure, a rigid lower support structure and a support member coupled at one end to the upper support structure and coupled at another end to the lower support structure. An actuator is also provided which is coupled to the support member at one end. The disclosed storage container further includes a storage sack having an upper portion coupled to the upper support structure and a lower portion coupled to the lower support structure. The lower portion of the storage sack is generally taper-shaped and may be equipped with a discharge opening that enables release of the bulk material onto a conveyor, which may be employed when the collapsible storage container is integrated into a bulk storage system.

The invention relates to an operating handle for controlling the operational state of a valve arrangement associated with a container to control dispensing of material from the container to a component of an additive manufacturing process, the operating handle comprising a rotatable shaft coupled to the valve arrangement, the shaft being rotatable between a plurality of angular positions corresponding to one or more operational states of the valve arrangement; a lever operatively coupled to the shaft and configured to cause rotation of the shaft between the plurality of angular positions upon rotation of the lever; a rotation retention mechanism configured to retain the lever in one of a plurality of rotational positions; and an actuator engagement member extending axially outwards from the handle, wherein an actuator provided as part of a docking arrangement associated with the component is operable to act on the actuator engagement member for engaging and disengaging the rotation retention mechanism.

The invention relates to an operating handle for controlling the operational state of a valve arrangement associated with a container to control dispensing of material from the container to a component of an additive manufacturing process, the operating handle comprising a rotatable shaft coupled to the valve arrangement, the shaft being rotatable between a plurality of angular positions corresponding to one or more operational states of the valve arrangement; a lever operatively coupled to the shaft and configured to cause rotation of the shaft between the plurality of angular positions upon rotation of the lever; a rotation retention mechanism configured to retain the lever in one of a plurality of rotational positions; and an actuator engagement member extending axially outwards from the handle, wherein an actuator provided as part of a docking arrangement associated with the component is operable to act on the actuator engagement member for engaging and disengaging the rotation retention mechanism.

A material loading assembly is connected to a top of a container body having an opening for loading the container. A door is coupled to the top to cover the opening. An operating mechanism includes an extension member connected to the door and has a free end extending past an edge of the door. The extension member has an engagement pin formed on the free end. A latch mechanism attached at an edge of the shipping container has a pin seat formed therein and a locking member positionable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The locking member retains the engagement pin in the pin seat for locking the door in a closed position. The locking member releases the engagement from the pin seat for unlocking the door in the closed position, so the door is free move from the closed position to an open position.

Systems and methods for efficiently managing bulk material are provided. The disclosure is directed to a portable support structure used to receive one or more portable containers of bulk material and output bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. The portable support structure may include a frame for receiving and holding the one or more portable bulk material containers in an elevated position proximate the blender hopper, as well as one or more gravity feed outlets for routing the bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. In some embodiments, the portable support structure may be transported to the well site on a trailer, unloaded from the trailer, and positioned proximate the blender unit. In other embodiments, the portable support structure may be a mobile support structure that is integrated into a trailer unit.

Systems and methods for efficiently managing bulk material are provided. The disclosure is directed to a portable support structure used to receive one or more portable containers of bulk material and output bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. The portable support structure may include a frame for receiving and holding the one or more portable bulk material containers in an elevated position proximate the blender hopper, as well as one or more gravity feed outlets for routing the bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. In some embodiments, the portable support structure may be transported to the well site on a trailer, unloaded from the trailer, and positioned proximate the blender unit. In other embodiments, the portable support structure may be a mobile support structure that is integrated into a trailer unit.

Systems and methods for efficiently managing bulk material are provided. The disclosure is directed to a portable support structure used to receive one or more portable containers of bulk material and output bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. The portable support structure may include a frame for receiving and holding the one or more portable bulk material containers in an elevated position proximate the blender hopper, as well as one or more gravity feed outlets for routing the bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. In some embodiments, the portable support structure may be transported to the well site on a trailer, unloaded from the trailer, and positioned proximate the blender unit. In other embodiments, the portable support structure may be a mobile support structure that is integrated into a trailer unit.

Systems and methods for efficiently managing bulk material are provided. The disclosure is directed to a portable support structure used to receive one or more portable containers of bulk material and output bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. The portable support structure may include a frame for receiving and holding the one or more portable bulk material containers in an elevated position proximate the blender hopper, as well as one or more gravity feed outlets for routing the bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. In some embodiments, the portable support structure may be transported to the well site on a trailer, unloaded from the trailer, and positioned proximate the blender unit. In other embodiments, the portable support structure may be a mobile support structure that is integrated into a trailer unit.

A transportable container apparatus includes an elongate container having a central axis and a base attached to a bottom end of the container. The container and base are substantially symmetrical about the central axis and the container is oriented substantially vertically with the base resting on a ground surface when in a working position. The container having an upper container section with upper walls substantially parallel to the central axis and a lower container section with lower walls substantially parallel to the central axis. The upper container section includes a sloping hopper at a bottom thereof to direct granular material into the lower container section. A floor of the container is sloped toward an outlet port defined in a ported wall of the lower container section such that granular material stored in the container slides down the floor to the outlet port.