Patent ID: 8668430

Claim:
A process for delivery of proppant to a fracturing site, the process comprising: forming a container having an interior suitable for receiving the proppant therein, the container having an outlet at a bottom thereof, said container having a gate slidably positioned over said outlet, said gate slidable along a horizontal plane, said gate having at least one pin affixed thereto and extending outwardly thereof; filling at least a portion of said container with the proppant; positioning the container upon a trailer of a vehicle; moving the vehicle and the trailer and the container along a roadway to the fracturing site; lifting the container from said trailer; placing the lifted container upon a conveyor structure having a conveyor such that said outlet of said container is positioned directly above said conveyor, said conveyor structure having a receptacle translatably positioned adjacent a top surface thereof, the step of placing comprising: inserting the pin of said gate into said receptacle; translating said receptacle such that the pin causes said gate to slide in a horizontal place so as to open said outlet of said conveyor such that the proppant in said interior of container is discharged through said outlet directly downwardly toward said conveyor; and conveying the discharged proppant to a desired location at the fracturing site.