Patent ID: 8104997
Filing Date: 2012-01-31
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for unloading a resin from a container having a rectangular horizontal cross section and planar interior bottom with right angle corners bounding the container interior, comprising: (a) a frame comprising a base held above the ground by a plurality of legs and an extension assembly extending perpendicularly from the base, the base having a front rail, a rear rail and two side rails wherein the front rail and the rear rail are coupled to the side rails so as to form a substantially rectangular platform with an opening passing therethrough, with the extension assembly including a first vertical riser, a second vertical riser, and a horizontal rail wherein a first end of the horizontal rail is coupled to a first end of the first vertical riser and a second end of the horizontal rail is coupled to a first end of the second vertical riser and a second end of the first vertical riser is coupled to the front rail of the base and a second end of the second vertical riser is coupled to the rear rail of the base such that the extension assembly straddles the opening of the base, with a plate slidably mounted to the extension assembly for vertical movement along the extension assembly, with the frame being sized to fit over an opening of a container; (b) a first tube coupled to the plate such that the first tube is perpendicular to the base, wherein the first tube is adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source via physical connection therewith; (c) a second tube in fluid communication with the first tube, extending co-axially with the first tube and downwardly from and perpendicular to the base, the second tube being rotatably and co-axially connected to the first tube to extend into the opening of a container over which the frame has been placed, wherein the second tube is elbowed at an end of the tube distal to the first tube; (d) a flexible tube coaxially connected to and in fluid communication with the second tube at an end of the second tube remote from connection of the second tube with the first tube, the flexible tube having at least a portion running along the planar interior bottom; and (e) a motor mounted on the plate for vertical movement with the plate along the risers of the extension assembly, being coupled to the second tube such that the motor rotates the second tube and the flexible tube; and (f) a sweeper assembly coupled to the second tube, comprised of a sweeping element and a coupling mechanism wherein the coupling mechanism is coupled to the second tube such that the coupling mechanism extends downward from the second tube and toward the flexible tube, with the sweeping element of the sweeper assembly being angled and the sweeping element of the sweeper assembly comprises an L-bracket, with the sweeping element extending parallel with and running along the bottom of the rectangular container interior, positioned at an angle relative to the axis of the rotation of the second tube, for urging resin material towards the interior rectangular periphery of the container including the right angle corners thereof as the sweeper assembly rotates with the second tube, for resin collection by suction at an open end fitting of the flexible tube.