Container emptying apparatus and method

A method for unloading granular material from a container having concave interior corners without continuous operator intervention, comprising:

• (a) positioning a frame over an opening in the top of the container;
• (b) providing a tubular member having rotatable and stationary portions connected to the frame in a manner to be moveable vertically with respect thereto, the stationary portion of the tubular member being connectable at a first end to a vacuum source so as to have vacuum drawn through the tubular member, the rotatable and stationary portions of the tubular member being coupled for vacuum communication therebetween, the rotatable portion of the tubular member extending downwardly into the container opening and having an elbow proximate a second end of the tubular member and a flexible portion intermediate the elbow and the second end;
• (c) drawing vacuum in the tubular member with the vacuum source;
• (d) rotating the rotatable portion of the tubular member along the top of granular material in the container to draw granular material, by vacuum created suction, into the second end of the tubular member while rotatably angularly sweeping remaining granular material towards the periphery of the container interior to encounter the second end of the tubular member and be drawn thereinto by said vacuum created suction.

Apparatus for emptying a Gaylord or Octobin container of granular material, comprising:

• (a) a frame having a portion positionable above a container to be emptied;
• (b) a motor connected to the frame;
• (c) a tubular member rotatably connected to the frame positionable portion and coupled to the motor for rotation of a lower portion thereof by the motor, the tubular member having an upper portion first end adapted for connection to a vacuum source, having a flexible segment proximate an open second end of a lower portion to suck granular material within the container into the tubular member in response to vacuum drawn by the vacuum source as the tubular member rotates;
• (d) a horizontally oriented longitudinally elongated brush connected to and rotatable with the tubular member for horizontally sweeping granular material towards the container walls into position to encounter the tubular member second end as the lower portion of the tubular member rotates;
• and
• (e) a longitudinally elongated bendable sheet connected to the tubular member at a common axial position thereon with the elongated brush, movable in a smoothing, sweeping action along the surface of resinous material in the container as the tubular member is rotated by the motor, for resisting downward digging by the tubular member and the brush into the granular material within the container in response to upward force on the sheet as the sheet encounters and sweeps along the surface of the granular material within the container.

A method for emptying granular or powdery material from a Gaylord or Octobin container, comprising:

• (a) providing a frame sized to fit over an opening in the top of the container;
• (b) connecting a first tube having a first end in fluid communication with a vacuum source slidably to the frame for vertical motion respecting the frame;
• (c) connecting a first end of a second tube to a remaining end of the first tube to be rotatable respecting the first tube and moveable vertically unitarily therewith;
• (d) positioning the container within the frame with the opening under a second end of the second tube, the second end of the second tube opening horizontally;
• (e) rotating
• (i) the second tube with the second end contacting an upper surface of the granular material in the container while drawing vacuum through the first and second tubes;
• and
• (ii) a flexible sled connected to the second tube, for smoothingly sweepingly along the upper surface of the granular material within the container with a curved leading edge to resist any tendency of the second tube to dig into the granular material.