Patent ID: 11919729
Assignee: SANDBOX ENTERPRISES, LLC
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 10:
11. An unloader assembly for a plurality of shipping containers, each shipping container having a pallet, a storage volume for a bulk material and a movable gate assembly having a downwardly extending handle, the unloader assembly comprising:
a rack having a floor assembly;
a frame structure extending from the floor assembly of the rack;
a first pallet base supported by the frame structure and configured to receive the pallet of a first shipping container and support the first shipping container in an elevated position, wherein a full shipping container is positionable onto the first pallet base and an empty shipping container is removable from the first pallet base without disassembly of the unloader;
a first gate moving mechanism comprising:
a first track assembly connected to and supported by the pallet base; and
a first gate mover assembly movably supported by the first track assembly and having a first gate receiver and engager, wherein the first gate receiver and engager receives the downwardly extending handle of the shipping container via one or more first upwardly extending hands and the first gate receiver and engager moves the movable gate assembly to a partially or fully opened position due to movement of the first gate mover assembly;

a first material director having a first end located beneath the first pallet base subjacent of the first gate moving mechanism, the first material director extending downwardly therefrom and terminating at a second end opposite the first end, wherein bulk material from the first shipping container is dispensed into the first end and discharged from the second end of the first material director;
a second pallet base supported by the frame structure and configured to receive the pallet of a second shipping container and support the second shipping container in an elevated position adjacent to the first shipping container, wherein a full shipping container is positionable onto the second pallet base and an empty shipping container is removable from the second pallet base without disassembly of the unloader;
a second gate moving mechanism comprising:
a second track assembly, connected to and supported by the pallet base; and
a second gate mover assembly movably supported by the second track assembly and having a second gate receiver and engager, wherein the second gate receiver and engager receives the downwardly extending handle of the shipping container via one or more second upwardly extending hands and the second gate receiver and engager moves the movable gate assembly to a partially or fully opened position due to movement of the second gate mover assembly; and

a second material director having a first end located beneath the second pallet base subjacent of the second gate moving mechanism, the second material director extending downwardly therefrom and terminating at a second end opposite the first end, wherein bulk material from the second shipping container is dispensed into the first end and discharged from the second end of the first material director.