A storage apparatus for bulk material, in particular wood chips, is provided, the storage apparatus including a bunker for receiving the bulk material and a conveyor apparatus for transporting the bulk material. The conveyor apparatus is arranged within the bunker. The conveyor apparatus is a belt conveyor for transporting the bulk material. A method of controlling uniform filling of a bunker of a storage apparatus is also provided.

A storage apparatus for bulk material, in particular wood chips, is provided, the storage apparatus including a bunker for receiving the bulk material and a conveyor apparatus for transporting the bulk material. The conveyor apparatus is arranged within the bunker. The conveyor apparatus is a belt conveyor for transporting the bulk material. A method of controlling uniform filling of a bunker of a storage apparatus is also provided.

A tracked, portable radial stacker for stockpiling bulk material is provided. It includes a linear conveyor having a rear portion and a front portion and being designed to carry bulk material from a low position adjacent the rear portion to a higher position adjacent the front portion. A continuous track system is provided which includes a frame to which the conveyor is mounted, the track system including a pair of driven, parallel tracks designed to contact the ground to convey the stacker from one position to another, and to be lifted off the ground when desired. A pair of wheels are mounted to the frame, the wheels being moveable between a raised position in which they do not contact the ground and a lowered position in which they lift the tracks off the ground as they engage the ground, enabling the conveyor to be moved about the ground on the wheels.

An apparatus and method for distributing articles made by series production is configured to deliver articles to selected storage positions in side-by-side rows of adjacent storage positions for stacked articles in a storage compartment. After selection of a storage position, a transport platform movably mounted on a horizontally movable carriage above the rows is driven to a location above the selected storage position with the platform moved between two possible positions for dispensing articles into the respective rows, an article conveyor on the platform is actuated to transport the article off the platform into the underlying storage position, where it is stacked on top of any previously stacked articles, and the platform is driven back to a start position to receive the next article. The procedure is repeated to distribute subsequent articles to selected storage positions in the storage area.

A tracked, portable radial stacker for stockpiling bulk material is provided. It includes a linear conveyor having a rear portion and a front portion and being designed to carry bulk material from a low position adjacent the rear portion to a higher position adjacent the front portion. A continuous track system is provided which includes a frame to which the conveyor is mounted, the track system including a pair of driven, parallel tracks designed to contact the ground to convey the stacker from one position to another, and to be lifted off the ground when desired. A pair of wheels are mounted to the frame, the wheels being moveable between a raised position in which they do not contact the ground and a lowered position in which they lift the tracks off the ground as they engage the ground, enabling the conveyor to be moved about the ground on the wheels.

A tracked, portable radial stacker for stockpiling bulk material may be provided that includes a linear conveyor having a rear portion and a front portion and being designed to carry bulk material from a lower position adjacent the rear portion to a raised position adjacent the front portion. A continuous track system may also be included, having a frame to which the conveyor is mounted, the track system including a pair of driven, parallel tracks. A pair of wheels can be mounted to the frame, the wheels being displaceable between a raised lateral position in which they do not contact the ground and a first lowered position in which they are laterally disposed and engage the ground to facilitate lateral conveyance of the conveyor, the pair of wheels also being rotatably mounted to the frame such that they can swivel at least 90 degrees to a raised longitudinal position and can be lowered to a second lowered position in which they are longitudinally disposed and engage the ground to facilitate longitudinal conveyance of the conveyor. Wheel displacement means may also be included for powering the pair of wheels from the raised lateral position to the first lowered position, the wheel displacement means also powering the wheels when in the first lowered position to lift the tracks off the ground to permit the conveyor to be conveyed in a lateral direction, the wheel displacement means also powering the pair of wheels from the raised longitudinal position to the second lowered position, the wheel displacement means also powering the wheels when in the second lowered position to lift the tracks off the ground to permit the conveyor to be conveyed in a longitudinal direction.

A tracked, portable radial stacker for stockpiling bulk material may be provided that includes a linear conveyor having a rear portion and a front portion and being designed to carry bulk material from a lower position adjacent the rear portion to a raised position adjacent the front portion. A continuous track system may also be included, having a frame to which the conveyor is mounted, the track system including a pair of driven, parallel tracks. A pair of wheels can be mounted to the frame, the wheels being displaceable between a raised lateral position in which they do not contact the ground and a first lowered position in which they are laterally disposed and engage the ground to facilitate lateral conveyance of the conveyor, the pair of wheels also being rotatably mounted to the frame such that they can swivel at least 90 degrees to a raised longitudinal position and can be lowered to a second lowered position in which they are longitudinally disposed and engage the ground to facilitate longitudinal conveyance of the conveyor. Wheel displacement means may also be included for powering the pair of wheels from the raised lateral position to the first lowered position, the wheel displacement means also powering the wheels when in the first lowered position to lift the tracks off the ground to permit the conveyor to be conveyed in a lateral direction, the wheel displacement means also powering the pair of wheels from the raised longitudinal position to the second lowered position, the wheel displacement means also powering the wheels when in the second lowered position to lift the tracks off the ground to permit the conveyor to be conveyed in a longitudinal direction.

A self-contained multiple-trailer drive-over sand-truck unloader system and method with safety features, each trailer configured to interconnect mechanically and/or electrically and/or hydraulically to another adjacent trailer for electrical power, hydraulic power and data communications and capable of being set up into an operational configuration and reconfigured into a compact highway-travel configuration, without the need for safety harnesses. A first trailer provides the center section having an input funnel hopper for receiving bottom-dumped sand, a first conveyor for material transport to either the left or right side of the interconnected system. The system also integrates hydraulic leveling actuators on each large-area ground-contact foot with height-maintenance locks. Some embodiments include electrical and/or hydraulic mechanisms to ensure operational stability and worker safety. With pre-assembled components, OSHA-compliant safety features, and a generator-powered control system, this invention offers quick deployment and take-down, improved safety, and efficient frac-sand handling, without additional gravel deposition or clean-up.