Cradle for proppant container having tapered box guides

{
  "publication_number": "US2017144834A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "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.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus to support a proppant container, the apparatus comprising: a frame to receive and support one or more proppant containers, the frame having a top surface to receive and position the one or more proppant containers in an elevated position; 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 and extending upwardly from 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 one or more proppant containers; 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 one or more proppant containers 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 and extending from a periphery of the frame toward the desired location. 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, and the guide member being bound by a periphery of the frame. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the box guide assembly comprises 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, the guide assembly being positioned closer to the desired location than the at least one wall segment. 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 along 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."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Field of the Invention The present invention relates to positioning and aligning proppant containers at a well site. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods to position and align proppant containers onto stands and/or conveyors at the well site. Description of Related Art Hydraulic fracturing or “Tracking” has been used for decades to stimulate production from conventional oil and gas wells. In recent years, the use of fracking has increased due to the development of new drilling technology such as horizontal drilling and multi-stage fracking. Such techniques reach previously-unavailable deposits of natural gas and oil. Fracking generally includes pumping fluid into a wellbore at high pressure. Inside the wellbore, the fluid is forced into the formation being produced. When the fluid enters the formation, it fractures, or creates fissures, in the formation. Water, as well as other fluids, and some solid proppants, are then pumped into the fissures to stimulate the release of oil and gas from the formation.\n\nBy far the dominant proppant is silica sand, made up of ancient weathered quartz, the most common mineral in the Earth's continental crust. Unlike common sand, which often feels gritty when rubbed between your fingers, sand used as a proppant tends to roll to the touch as a result of its round, spherical shape and tightly-graded particle distribution. Sand quality is a function of both deposit and processing. Grain size is critical, as any given proppant should reliably fall within certain mesh ranges, subject to downhole conditions and completion design.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65D 90/125",
    "B65D 19/06",
    "B65D 19/385",
    "B65D 21/0201",
    "B65D 2590/0091",
    "B65D 85/70",
    "B65D 88/30",
    "B65D 88/32",
    "B65G 63/004",
    "B65G 65/30",
    "F16M 11/04"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65D 19/06",
    "B65D 19/38",
    "B65D 21/02",
    "B65D 85/00",
    "B65D 88/30",
    "B65D 88/32",
    "B65D 90/12",
    "B65G 65/30",
    "F16M 11/04"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "OREN TECH LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "OREN JOHN",
    "OREN JOSHUA"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-02-07",
  "publication_date": "2017-05-25",
  "priority_date": "2014-06-13",
  "application_number": "US-201715426242-A",
  "family_id": "54929703",
  "citations": [
    "US2012152798A1",
    "US2014034662A1"
  ]
}