Trailer-integrated drive-over sand-truck unloader system and method with safety features

An integrated self-powered drive-over sand-truck unloading and conveyor system configurable between an operational state and a compact highway-travel state, the system comprising:

• a central drive-over conveyor section integrated on a first trailer suitable for highway travel wherein the central drive-over conveyor section includes:
• an elevated-level arched truck-support surface that is at least two meters above ground level,
• a first conveyor that is configured to rotate around a rotational axis of the first conveyor from a first position, used for the highway-travel state, that has a distal end of the first conveyor inside a frame of the first trailer, to a second position, used for the operational state, that has the distal end of the first conveyor pointed to a side of the central drive-over conveyor section and angled further upward than when in the highway-travel state,
• a funnel hopper positioned at least mostly below the truck-support surface, and configured for receiving bottom-unloaded sand from a bottom-dump sand truck and depositing the sand onto the first conveyor, wherein the funnel hopper has a lower end that has two sides that are angled upward to match the angled-upward orientation of the first conveyor in its operational position, and
• an electrical generator set mounted on the first trailer and configured to supply power to the first conveyor.

An integrated self-powered drive-over sand-truck unloading and conveyor system configurable between an operational state and a compact highway-travel state, the system comprising:

• a central drive-over conveyor section integrated on a first trailer suitable for highway travel wherein the central drive-over conveyor section includes:
• an elevated-level arched truck-support surface that is at least two meters above ground level,
• a first conveyor that is configured to rotate around a rotational axis of the first conveyor from a first position, used for the highway-travel state, that has a distal end of the first conveyor inside a frame of the first trailer, to a second position, used for the operational state, that has the distal end of the first conveyor pointed to a side of the central drive-over conveyor section and angled further upward than when in the highway-travel state,
• a funnel hopper positioned at least mostly below the truck-support surface, and configured for receiving bottom-unloaded sand from a bottom-dump sand truck and depositing the sand onto the first conveyor, wherein the funnel hopper has a lower end that has two sides that are angled upward to match the angled-upward orientation of the first conveyor in its operational position, and
• an electrical generator set mounted on the first trailer and configured to supply power to the first conveyor;
• and
• a drive-on ramp section integrated on a second trailer suitable for highway travel, wherein the drive-on ramp section is removably connectable to the central drive-over conveyor section and configured to receive, from the first trailer, at least one of electrical power and hydraulic power;
• and
• a drive-off ramp section integrated on a third trailer suitable for highway travel, wherein the drive-off ramp section is removably connectable to the central drive-over conveyor section and configured to receive, from the first trailer, at least one of electrical power and hydraulic power.

A drive-over sand-truck-unloading-and-conveyor method comprising:

• providing a self-contained trailer system operable to be set up into an erected operational configuration and to be reconfigured into a more-compact highway-travel configuration, wherein the trailer system includes
• a first trailer suitable for highway travel, wherein on the first trailer are mounted and pre-assembled:
• an elevated-level arched truck-support surface that is at least two meters above ground level, a first conveyor that is configured to rotate around a rotational axis of the first conveyor from a first position, used for the highway-travel state, that has a distal end of the first conveyor inside a frame of the first trailer, to a second position, used for the operational state, that has the distal end of the first conveyor pointed to a side of the central drive-over conveyor section and angled further upward than when in the highway-travel state, and a funnel hopper positioned at least mostly below the truck-support surface, and configured for receiving bottom-unloaded sand from a bottom-dump sand truck and depositing the sand onto the first conveyor, wherein the funnel hopper has a lower end that has two sides that are angled upward to match the angled-upward orientation of the first conveyor in its operational position;
• a drive-on ramp section integrated on a second trailer suitable for highway travel, wherein the drive-on ramp section is removably connectable to the central drive-over conveyor section;
• a drive-off ramp section integrated on a third trailer suitable for highway travel, wherein the drive-off ramp section is removably connectable to the central drive-over conveyor section, and
• an electrical generator set mounted on one or more of the first, second, or third trailers, wherein the first conveyor is powered directly or indirectly by electrical power from the electrical generator set, wherein the first, second and third trailer each include a plurality of support-foot-elevation actuators, each coupled to a respective support foot of the respective trailer,
• lowering a first support foot and a second support foot of the first trailer onto a ground level under the first trailer;
• connecting the second trailer to the first trailer;
• supplying, from the first trailer to the second trailer, at least one of electrical power and hydraulic power;
• lowering a first support foot and a second support foot of the second trailer onto a ground level under the second trailer using power supplied from the first trailer;
• connecting the third trailer to the first trailer;
• supplying, from the first trailer to the third trailer, at least one of electrical power and hydraulic power;
• lowering a first support foot and a second support foot of the third trailer onto a ground level under the third trailer using power supplied from the first trailer;
• rotating the first conveyor around its rotational axis such that a distal end of the first conveyor is pointed to a side of the central drive-over conveyor section and angled further upward than when in the more-compact highway-travel configuration;
• elevating an end of the first conveyor to an operational angle using one or more of a plurality of elevation actuators;
• and
• using the first conveyor to convey sand from the funnel hopper to a second conveyor.

A drive-over sand-truck-unloading-and-conveyor apparatus comprising:

• a self-contained trailer system operable to be set up into an erected operational configuration and to be reconfigured into a more-compact highway-travel configuration, wherein the trailer system includes
• a first trailer suitable for highway travel, wherein on the first trailer are mounted and pre-assembled:
• an elevated-level arched truck-support surface that is at least two meters above ground level, a first conveyor that is configured to rotate around a rotational axis of the first conveyor from a first position, used for the highway-travel state, that has a distal end of the first conveyor inside a frame of the first trailer, to a second position, used for the operational state, that has the distal end of the first conveyor pointed to a side of the central drive-over conveyor section and angled further upward than when in the highway-travel state, and a funnel hopper positioned at least mostly below the truck-support surface, and configured for receiving bottom-unloaded sand from a bottom-dump sand truck and depositing the sand onto the first conveyor, wherein the funnel hopper has a lower end that has two sides that are angled upward to match the angled-upward orientation of the first conveyor in its operational position;
• a drive-on ramp section integrated on a second trailer suitable for highway travel, wherein the drive-on ramp section is removably connectable to the central drive-over conveyor section;
• a drive-off ramp section integrated on a third trailer suitable for highway travel, wherein the drive-off ramp section is removably connectable to the central drive-over conveyor section, and
• an electrical generator set mounted on one or more of the first, second, or third trailers, wherein the first conveyor is powered directly or indirectly by electrical power from the electrical generator set, wherein the first, second and third trailer each include a plurality of support-foot-elevation actuators, each coupled to a respective support foot of the respective trailer,
• means for lowering a first support foot and a second support foot of the first trailer onto a ground level under the first trailer;
• means for connecting the second trailer to the first trailer;
• means for supplying, from the first trailer to the second trailer, at least one of electrical power and hydraulic power;
• means for lowering a first support foot and a second support foot of the second trailer onto a ground level under the second trailer using power supplied from the first trailer;
• means for connecting the third trailer to the first trailer;
• means for supplying, from the first trailer to the third trailer, at least one of electrical power and hydraulic power;
• means for lowering a first support foot and a second support foot of the third trailer onto a ground level under the third trailer using power supplied from the first trailer;
• means for rotating the first conveyor around its rotational axis such that a distal end of the first conveyor is pointed to a side of the central drive-over conveyor section and angled further upward than when in the more-compact highway-travel configuration;
• means for elevating an end of the first conveyor to an operational angle using one or more of a plurality of elevation actuators;
• and
• means for using the first conveyor to convey sand from the funnel hopper to a second conveyor.