An unloader for a shipping container includes a supporter having a frame structure and a pallet base supported by the frame structure and configured to receive the pallet and support the shipping container in an elevated position. A gate moving mechanism is supported by the pallet base and configured to engage the moveable gate assembly when the full shipping container is positioned onto the pallet base. A material director has a first end located beneath the pallet base subjacent of the gate moving mechanism. The material director extends downwardly from the pallet base and terminates at a second end opposite the first end. Bulk material is dispensed from the shipping container into the first end and is discharged from the second end of the material director. Shipping containers may be positioned onto and removed from the pallet base without disassembly of the unloader.

Various embodiments are directed to unloading system and methods of using the same. In various embodiments, an unloading system comprises a trailer bed configured to receive a container thereon, wherein the trailer bed comprises one or more joints configurable between a plurality of joint positions, wherein the trailer bed is configured to lift, tilt, and oscillate at least a portion of the container based on the joints; and an extendable conveyor configured to receive a box that has been released from the container and convey the box away from the trailer bed. Various embodiments are directed to a method comprising tilting the container such that an open end of the container is lower than a closed end of the container, wherein the open end of the container is proximate to an extendable conveyor; and oscillating the container to facilitate release of a box from the container onto the extendable conveyor.

A bulk material shipping container unloader having an expandable supporter, a pallet receiver supported by the extendable supporter, a material director supported by the pallet receiver, and a bulk material container gate mover supported by the pallet receiver.

A system for transporting a proppant for fracking may include a transport vehicle, a proppant container, a container clutch part, and a floating clutch part. The transport vehicle may include a carriage having forks for engaging fork pockets of the proppant container. The proppant container may house proppant releasable using a release gate and actuator. The container clutch part may be connected to the proppant container and configured to transfer rotational movement to the actuator. The floating clutch part may be connected to the carriage of the transport vehicle and configured to engage and selectively rotate the container clutch part when the forks engage the fork pockets. The forks and fork pockets vary in size which leads to a potential for misalignment between the container and floating clutch parts. The floating clutch part is vertically and laterally positionable to compensate for misalignments between the container and floating clutch parts.

A rail-bound transport robot having an approximately box-like container, which is open at the top, for individual release of bulk material, which is provided in its inner space with at least one compartment, which is filled with the bulk material, wherein the transport robot has a loading space open at the top, adapted for receiving the container, and wherein the container rests on a longitudinal conveyor in the transport robot, which engages opening lids from below, which are positioned on the bottom side of container, wherein the bulk material flows outwardly through the opening lids, when the opening lids are opened.

A concrete truck or cement tanker truck alignment system with a loading station having a discharge chute, an electronic sensor that sees through dust or an environmental dust shield, and provides location information used to determine a hopper offset. The hopper offset is a measurement of the physical offset between a feed hopper on the truck and the discharge chute. The system may further include an alignment feedback unit that provides feedback based on the hopper offset. The alignment feedback unit may indicate the hopper offset is within an alignment tolerance. The sensor may use radar. The alignment feedback unit may provide auditory or graphical feedback. The graphical feedback may show a discharge icon representing the position of the discharge chute and a hopper icon representing the feed hopper where the location of the hopper icon is relative to the discharge chute based on the hopper offset.

A train load-out arrangement having a hopper for operatively containing particulate material and includes a discharge chute with a controllable gate or valve via which the material is operatively dischargeable into ore wagons of a rail. The arrangement includes a first track scale arranged on the track distal from the discharge chute, as well as a second track scale arranged on the track directly underneath the discharge chute. Arrangement also includes a controller arranged in signal communication with the gate and track scales and configured to determine a first wagon axle weight-displacement profile via the first track scale and a second wagon axle weight-displacement profile via the second track scale as material is discharged into a wagon, and compare said first and second wagon axle weight-displacement profiles to produce a real-time noise-compensated wagon axle weight-displacement profile.

An unloader for a shipping container includes a supporter having a frame structure and a pallet base supported by the frame structure and configured to receive the pallet and support the shipping container in an elevated position. A gate moving mechanism is supported by the pallet base and configured to engage the moveable gate assembly when the full shipping container is positioned onto the pallet base. A material director has a first end located beneath the pallet base subjacent of the gate moving mechanism. The material director extends downwardly from the pallet base and terminates at a second end opposite the first end. Bulk material is dispensed from the shipping container into the first end and is discharged from the second end of the material director. Shipping containers may be positioned onto and removed from the pallet base without disassembly of the unloader.

An article supply device capable of supplying first and second type articles comprises a main body, an accommodation unit for accommodating articles, a supply unit for supplying articles accommodated in the accommodation unit, a lock unit which prevents articles from being supplied from the supply unit; and a detection unit capable of detecting the presence or absence of first type articles and the presence or absence of the second type articles accommodated in the accommodation unit, wherein the lock unit is turned into a lock state, on condition that the absence of the articles is detected by the detection unit.

A rail-bound transport robot (20) having an approximately box-like container (1), which is open at the top, for individual release of bulk material (18), which is provided in its inner space with at least one compartment (14a, 14b), which is filled with the bulk material (18), wherein the transport robot (20) has a loading space (33) open at the top, adapted for receiving the container (1), and wherein the container (1) rests on a longitudinal conveyor (25, 66) in the transport robot (20), which engages opening lids (6a-6f) from below, which are positioned on the bottom side of container (1), wherein the bulk material (18) flows outwardly through the opening lids, when the opening lids (6a-6f) are opened.