Horizontal container with a moveable bulkhead follower for the storage and transport of bulk viscous material

A bulk material container comprising:

• (a) an elongated shell for containing and discharging bulk material, said shell having a generally cylindrical inner wall, said shell having a longitudinal axis extending longitudinally between a forward end wall thereof and a rear end wall thereof;
• (b) a manhole formed in said shell;
• (c) a bulkhead follower movable within said shell between said forward end wall and said rear end wall of said shell, said bulkhead follower having a substantially cylindrical annular flange slightly less in diameter than the cylindrical inner wall of said shell, said bulkhead follower having a horizontal axis substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of said shell;
• (d) means interengaging the annular flange of said bulkhead follower and the cylindrical inner wall of said shell for forming a seal therebetween;
• (e) a bulk material discharge outlet in the vicinity of the forward end wall of said shell for the discharge of bulk material contained in said shell between the forward wall of said bulkhead follower and the forward end wall of said shell;
• (f) means for introducing fluid under pressure into said shell between the rear end wall of said shell and the rear surface of said bulkhead follower for applying fluid under pressure to the rear surface of said bulkhead follower to move said bulkhead follower toward said forward end wall of said shell and moving said bulkhead follower along its horizontal axis and along the longitudinal axis of said shell for discharging bulk material within said shell between the forward end wall of said shell and the forward surface of said bulkhead follower through said bulk material discharge outlet;
• and
• (g) a sight gauge mounted adjacent to and exterior of said shell responsive to the axial horizontal movement of said bulkhead follower along the longitudinal axis of said shell for indicating the location of said movable bulkhead follower along the longitudinal axis of said shell.

A bulk material container comprising:

• (a) an elongated shell for containing and discharging bulk material, said shell having a generally cylindrical inner wall, said shell having a horizontal axis extending longitudinally between a forward end wall thereof and a rear end wall thereof;
• (b) a manhole formed in said shell, allowing access to the interior of the shell;
• (c) a bulkhead follower movable within said shell between said forward end wall and said rear end wall of said shell, said bulkhead follower having an annular flange of slightly less diameter than the cylindrical inner wall of said shell, said bulkhead follower having a horizontal/longitudinal axis substantially coincident with the horizontal/longitudinal axis of said shell;
• and
• (d) at least one flexible wiper/seal circumferentially disposed about the circumference of the annular flange of said bulkhead follower, said wiper/seal being connected to said bulkhead follower by fasteners substantially aligned with said horizontal/longitudinal axis of said follower.

A bulk material container comprising:

• (a) an elongated shell for containing and discharging bulk material, said shell having a generally cylindrical inner wall, said shell having a horizontal axis extending longitudinally between a forward end wall thereof and a rear end wall thereof;
• (b) a manhole formed said shell;
• (c) a bulkhead follower movable within said shell between said forward end wall and said rear end wall of said shell, said bulkhead follower having a cylindrical annular flange slightly less in diameter than the cylindrical inner wall of said shell, said bulkhead follower having a horizontal axis substantially coincident with the horizontal axis of said shell;
• and
• (d) at least one flexible wiper/seal circumferentially disposed about the circumference of the cylindrical annular flange of said bulkhead follower, said wiper/seal having oppositely directed sides, said oppositely directed sides of said wiper/seal alternately engage the inner wall of said shell to wipe and form a seal with said inner wall of said shell depending on the direction of movement of said bulkhead follower within said shell.