Patent ID: 6863086

Claim:
An unloading system comprising in combination: (A) an axially extending transport for flowable product including: (i) a hollow drain extending downwardly from the bottom of said transport and defining a first element of an engagement means, said drain being spaced above the ground and inwardly from at least one lateral side of said transport; and (ii) fastener-receiving means adjacent said one lateral side of said transport; and (B) an unloading assembly including: (i) a rigid hollow pipe defining a pair of opposed pipe ends and a pipe body extending between said pipe ends, one said pipe end defining a second element of said engagement means and a mechanism engageable with said drain to enable product communication between the interiors of said transport and said pipe; (ii) a support secured to said pipe body adjacent said other pipe end, said support including fastener means for releasably engaging said fastener-receiving means of said transport such that said transport substantially supports said pipe body while leaving said mechanism on said one pipe end free to move in at least a vertical plane relative to said drain prior to engagement therewith; and (iii) at least one pole defining a pair of opposed pole ends and a pole body extending between said pole ends, one said pole end located adjacent said other pipe end defining manually operable means for rotating said pole about its longitudinal axis, and the other said pole end adjacent said one pipe end defining means for rotating said second element relative to said first element, thereby to cause said second element to releasably engage said first element; whereby said first and second elements cooperatively releasably lock together said mechanism and said drain upon suitable rotation of said pole.