Cradle for proppant container having tapered box guides

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include an apparatus to support a proppant container including a frame to receive and support the proppant container, the frame having a top surface that receives and positions the proppant container above a conveyor to carry proppant disposed thereon away from the proppant container. The apparatus also includes a box guide assembly positioned on the top surface including a corner assembly having two wall segments, and a guide member extending upwardly and positioned adjacent the corner assembly, the guide member including tapered portion of the guide member, the taper having a first width at a top portion of the guide member smaller than a second width at a bottom portion of the guide member. The tapered portion contacts and directs the proppant container to a desired location.

1 . An apparatus to support a proppant container, the apparatus comprising:
 a frame to receive and support the proppant container, the frame having a top surface that receives and positions the proppant container above a conveyor to carry proppant disposed thereon away from the proppant container; and   a box guide assembly positioned on the top surface, the box guide assembly comprising:
 a corner assembly having two wall segments positioned substantially perpendicular to one another and to the top surface, the corner assembly positioned on a peripheral edge of the frame to at least partially define a desired location for positioning the proppant container; and 
 a guide member extending upwardly and positioned substantially perpendicular to the top surface, the guide member positioned adjacent the corner assembly, the guide member including a tapered portion extending distally from the top surface such that a first width of the tapered portion at a top portion of the guide member is less than a second width of the tapered portion at a bottom portion of the guide member, the tapered portion contacting and directing the proppant container to the desired location when the proppant container is being positioned thereon. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising an inclined edge of the tapered portion, wherein the inclined edge extends between a proximal side of the guide member and a distal side of the guide member, the inclined edge being downwardly sloped. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the inclined edge extends from the top portion of the guide member to a first end of the bottom portion of the guide member, the inclined edge extending laterally away from the proximal side. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least two box guide assemblies positioned at corners of the desired location, the guide members of the box guide assemblies arranged such that alignment of the container relative to the desired location is adjusted in at least two axial directions via the box guide assemblies. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the guide assembly is integrally formed with at least one wall segment of the corner assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the box guide assembly comprises a second tapered portion arranged substantially perpendicularly to the tapered portion, the tapered portion positioned along one wall segment of the corner assembly and the second tapered portion positioned the other wall segment of the corner assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where a first width of the guide member is less than a wall width of the wall segments of the corner assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a first thickness of the guide member is less than a wall width of the wall segments of the corner assembly and less than a support member thickness of the frame. 
     
     
         10 . A system to store and support proppant containers, the system comprising:
 a plurality of proppant containers, each of the proppant containers of the plurality of proppant containers comprising:
 walls forming a periphery of the proppant container; 
 an upper side; and 
 a bottom side forming a compartment to store the proppant therein, the bottom side having an outlet formed therein to facilitate removal of the proppant from the proppant container; 
   a cradle for receiving and supporting the plurality of proppant containers, the cradle having a plurality of cradle sections defining a desired location on the cradle associated with respective proppant containers of the plurality of proppant containers, each proppant container being positioned on a top surface of the cradle; and   a plurality of box guide assemblies positioned on the top surface of the cradle at respective edges of the plurality of cradle sections to at least partially define the desired location of each cradle section, the box guide assemblies each having a tapered portioned to direct each proppant container of the plurality of proppant containers into the respective cradle section.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , comprising box guide assemblies positioned at each corner of the cradle sections, the respective tapered portions of the box guide assemblies arranged in at least two different axial directions to align the proppant container within the cradle section. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein each box guide assembly of the plurality of box guide assemblies comprises a corner assembly, the respective corner assemblies comprising a pair of walls segments positioned substantially perpendicularly to one another, wherein the respective tapered portions of each box guide assembly are arranged proximate to the respective wall segments. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the wall segments of the respective corner assemblies are utilized by adjacent corner assemblies. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of containers are arranged in a side-by-side configuration along the cradle, the cradle sections arranged in a spaced relationship such that each container of the plurality of proppant containers readily is removeable from the cradle without disturbing adjacent proppant containers such that the proppant stored in the respective containers on the cradle dispenses while one or more other containers of the plurality of containers are removed from the cradle. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the box guide assemblies comprises a first tapered portion and a second tapered portion, the first tapered portion positioned substantially perpendicular to the second tapered portion, such that the proppant containers readily are directed in at least two different axial directions. 
     
     
         16 . A method for moving and supporting proppant containers, the method comprising:
 lifting a proppant container to a position above a top surface of a support structure, the position being vertically higher relative to a ground plane than a top portion of a box guide assembly;   aligning the proppant container over a section of the support structure which receives and supports the proppant container, the section defining a desired location for the proppant location;   lowering the proppant container toward the support structure such that a bottom surface of the proppant container is at a position vertically lower than the top portion of the box guide assembly; and   positioning the proppant container within an area of the section at least partially defined by the box guide assembly via at least one tapered surface of the box guide assembly, the at least one tapered surface positioned on a top surface of the support structure to guide the proppant container toward the desired location.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising moving the proppant container toward the section via an inclined edge of the tapered surface, the inclined edge being downwardly sloped from a lateral periphery of the section. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising positioning at least two box guide assemblies having tapered surfaces on the top surface, the respective tapered surfaces of the at least two box guide assemblies positioned substantially perpendicularly to one another such that the tapered surfaces guide the proppant container toward the desired location in at least two axial directions. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising arranging a plurality of proppant containers in a side-by-side configuration along a cradle comprising a plurality of sections, the plurality of proppant containers being spaced apart such that removal of one proppant container of the plurality of proppant containers does not disturb adjacent proppant containers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising positioning the support structure over a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt receiving proppant from the proppant container and carrying the proppant to a location away from the proppant container.