Kit for a hopper bottom of a particulate material storage container and related method

Abstract

A kit for forming a hopper bottom of a particulate material storage container comprises a generally conical lower section having a tapering diameter from a first end to the second end such that the second end is sized diametrically smaller, and a plurality of arcuate cone segments each defining an inclined concavely curved wall following a generally circular curvature, all of which can collectively form a hopper cone. The arcuate cone segments are connected in an annulus in which the walls of the arcuate cone segments collectively form a generally conical second cone section having a tapering diameter from one end to an opposite end which has a diameter substantially equal to that of the second end of the first cone section. Afterwards, the opposite end of the formed second cone section is connected to the first end of the first cone section so as to form the hopper cone.

1 . A kit for forming a hopper bottom of a particulate material storage container, the hopper bottom including a hopper cone, the kit comprising:
 a generally conical lower section for forming a first portion of the hopper cone, the lower section encompassing an axis and having a tapering diameter from an upper end defining an opening to a lower end arranged to define a discharge opening of the hopper cone through which particulate material can pass by gravity, the lower section being arranged to receive at its lower end a gate for controlling discharge of the particulate material by gravity out of the hopper cone;   a plurality of arcuate cone segments each having a wall portion defining an upper surface for forming another portion of the hopper cone, the wall portion extending along a circular curvature from a first side to a second side such that the upper surface is concavely curved therebetween and the wall portion being inclined from an arcuate upper end to an arcuate lower end such that the upper surface is inclined therebetween;   the arcuate cone segments being interconnectable to each other in side-by-side relation to form an annulus in which the wall portions form a generally conical upper section having a tapering diameter from an upper end of the upper section which is collectively defined by the arcuate upper ends of the wall portions to a lower end of the upper section collectively defined by the arcuate lower ends of the wall portions, the upper end of the upper section being arranged to receive a cylindrical wall of the storage container and the lower end of the upper section being sized in diameter substantially equal to that of the upper end of the lower section; and   the upper section formed by the interconnected arcuate cone segments being connectable at its lower end to the lower section at the upper end thereof so as to collectively form the hopper cone.   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein each arcuate cone segment includes a pair of arcuate load-transfer members each connected to the wall portion and spanning from the first side to the second side generally following the curvature of the wall portion between the first and second sides, the arcuate load-transfer members being spaced from one another in a radial direction of the arcuate cone segment from the arcuate upper end to the arcuate lower end, the arcuate cone segment being interconnectable with another arcuate cone segment in the annulus by lap plates projecting from the arcuate load-transfer members beyond the first side or the second side of the arcuate cone segment for overlapping with the arcuate load-transfer members of said another arcuate cone segment and arranged to receive fasteners passed through the overlapped lap plates and the arcuate load-transfer members. 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 2  further including a plurality of legs arranged for connecting to the arcuate cone segments between the arcuate load-transfer members so as to hold the discharge opening of the hopper cone at a spaced height above a support surface on which the hopper bottom is rested. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 3  wherein there are provided a plurality of braces to interconnect between the legs and the arcuate cone segments at circumferentially spaced locations from the legs which are arranged to connect between the arcuate load-transfer members. 
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 2  wherein an outer one of the arcuate load-transfer members is disposed at a periphery of the wall portion at the arcuate upper end thereof, and an inner one of the arcuate load-transfer members is disposed at an underside of the wall portion, opposite to the upper surface, intermediate the arcuate upper and lower ends of the wall portion but closer to the arcuate upper end than to the arcuate lower end. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein:
 each arcuate cone segment includes a connection member connected to an underside of the wall portion, which is opposite to the upper surface, adjacent each one of the first and second sides and extending in a radial direction of the arcuate cone segment from the arcuate upper end towards the arcuate lower end, the connection member being arranged for butting engagement with the connection member of another arcuate cone segment in the annulus for forming the upper section and being arranged to receive fasteners through the abutted connection members at radially spaced positions thereon; and 
 each arcuate cone segment further includes an arcuate load-transfer member connected to the wall portion and spanning from the first side to the second side generally following the curvature of the wall portion between the first and second sides, the arcuate cone segment being interconnectable with another arcuate cone segment in the annulus by a lap plate projecting from the arcuate load-transfer member beyond one of the first and second sides for overlapping with the arcuate load-transfer member of said another arcuate cone segment and arranged to receive fasteners passed through the overlapped lap plate and the arcuate load-transfer member. 
 
     
     
         7 . The kit of claim wherein the lower section includes an annular connection member at the upper end thereof and on an exterior side of the lower section that is arranged to receive fasteners passed therethrough, and each arcuate cone segment includes an arcuate connection member connected to an underside of the wall portion, which is opposite to the upper surface, adjacent but recessed from the arcuate lower end and extending in a direction from the first side to the second side generally following the curvature of the wall portion between the first and second sides, the lower end of the upper section formed by the interconnected arcuate cone segments being sized in outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter of the upper end of the lower section so that the lower end of the upper section can overlap an interior side of the lower section at its the upper end with the arcuate connection members of the interconnected arcuate cone segments being presented at or adjacent the annular connection member of the lower section for coupling thereto. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 7  wherein the wall portion of each arcuate cone segment is thickened between the arcuate lower edge and the arcuate connection member so as to strengthen the wall portion for receiving fasteners passed through a thickness thereof when the lower end of the upper section formed by the interconnected arcuate cone segments is overlapped with the interior side at the upper end of the lower section. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 7  wherein the lower section is thickened between its interior and exterior sides adjacent the annular connection member so as to strengthen the lower section for receiving fasteners passed through a thickness thereof when the upper end of the lower section is overlapped with the lower end of the upper section formed by the interconnected arcuate cone segments. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 7  wherein, when the wall portion of each arcuate cone segment is thickened between the arcuate lower edge and the arcuate connection member so as to strengthen the wall portion for receiving fasteners passed through a thickness thereof when the lower end of the upper section formed by the interconnected arcuate cone segments is overlapped with the interior side at the upper end of the lower section, the lower section is thickened between its interior and exterior sides adjacent the annular connection member so as to strengthen the lower section for receiving fasteners passed through a thickness thereof when the upper end of the lower section is overlapped with the lower end of the upper section formed by the interconnected arcuate cone segments, and the fasteners passed through the annular connection member of the lower section and the arcuate connection members of the interconnected arcuate cone segments are offset from the fasteners passed through the thicknesses of the upper and lower sections angularly of the axis of the lower section. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein each arcuate cone segment includes a plurality of stub leg portions connected to the wall portion at spaced locations across the curvature thereof and extending from an underside of the wall portion, which is opposite to the upper surface, generally parallel to the axis to lower ends of the stub leg portions which are disposed generally at a common height below the arcuate upper end of the wall portion as the lower end of the wall portion. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 11  further including a plurality of legs distinct from the stub leg portions and sized in height between upper and lower ends of the legs larger than a height of the lower section from the lower end to the upper end thereof, the upper ends of the legs being connectable to the lower ends of the stub leg portions so as to hold the discharge opening at a spaced height above a support surface on which the hopper bottom is rested, the legs being connected to support the hopper cone in fixed relation to the legs including a plurality of braces provided to interconnect between the legs and the arcuate cone segments at circumferentially spaced locations from the stub leg portions. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 12  wherein, when each arcuate cone segment includes an arcuate connection member connected to the underside of the wall portion adjacent but recessed from the arcuate lower end and extending in a direction from the first side to the second side generally following the curvature of the arcuate cone segment between the first and second sides, and the arcuate connection member has a bottom edge disposed below the arcuate lower end, the lower ends of the stub leg portions are disposed at a substantially common height with the bottom edge of the arcuate connection member. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 1  further including:
 a plurality of legs arranged for connecting to the arcuate cone segments so as to hold the discharge opening of the hopper cone at a spaced height above a support surface on which the hopper bottom is rested; and 
 a plurality of arcuate footing segments each having a top surface for supporting the lower ends of the legs and a bottom surface arranged for resting on the support surface, the arcuate footing segments each extending along a generally circular curvature from a first end to a second end and being interconnectable to each other in end-to-end relation to form an annulus which is sized to underlie the lower ends of the legs disposed in circumferentially spaced relation about the hopper cone for supporting the hopper bottom on the support surface. 
 
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 14  wherein each arcuate footing segment comprises at least one linear portion which extends along a substantially linear path from one end to the other and at least one elbow portion which is connected at one of its opposite sides to one of the ends of a respective one of the at least one linear portion, the elbow portion being generally pie-shaped between the opposite sides so as to have a tapering width between the sides from an outer end to an inner end which is arranged to be located radially inwardly of the outer end with respect to the hopper bottom, the elbow portion having a lower surface arranged for resting on the support surface and an upper surface defining a leg-mounting location for receiving the lower end of one of the legs mounted to the elbow portion, the elbow portion defining an internal cavity between the upper and lower surfaces, the opposite sides, and the inner and outer ends, and including a strengthening rib bridging the internal cavity in a direction from the lower surface to the upper surface and disposed beneath the leg-mounting location on the upper surface. 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 14  wherein the ends of each arcuate footing segment are arranged for butting engagement each with one of the ends of another arcuate footing segment and to receive fasteners passed through the abutted ends of different arcuate footing segments, each arcuate footing segment further including a generally horizontally projecting flange extending beyond one of the ends for resting on top of the adjacent arcuate footing segment when connected in the annulus of the interconnected arcuate footing segments for reducing a shear force exerted on the fasteners passed through the abutted ends. 
     
     
         17 . A method for forming a hopper bottom of a particulate material storage container, the hopper bottom including a hopper cone, the method comprising:
 providing a kit for forming the hopper cone including:
 a generally conical first cone section having a tapering diameter from a first end to the second end such that the first end is sized diametrically larger than the second end; 
 a plurality of arcuate cone segments each defining an inclined concavely curved wall following a generally circular curvature; 
   connecting the arcuate cone segments to form an annulus in which the walls of the arcuate cone segments collectively form a generally conical second cone section having a tapering diameter from one end to an opposite end which has a diameter substantially equal to that of the second end of the first cone section;   after the arcuate cone segments are connected in the annulus, connecting the opposite end of the formed second cone section to the first end of the first cone section so as to form the hopper cone.