Valve assembly for bulk material container discharge

A container for bulk material, comprising:

• a container body having an interior surface, at least a portion of the interior surface being inclined toward a discharge opening in the container body;
• and
• a valve assembly disposed at the discharge opening, the valve assembly comprising:
• an upper conical valve body including at least one aperture disposed on an inclined surface of the upper conical valve body;
• a lower conical valve body nested under and within the upper conical valve body, the lower conical valve body including at least one aperture disposed on an inclined surface of the lower conical valve body;
• a tapered roller thrust bearing disposed between the upper conical valve body and the lower conical valve body;
• and
• the lower conical valve body comprising a ring gear portion configured to engage a toothed member to rotate the lower conical valve body relative to the upper conical valve body between an open position in which the at least one aperture of the upper conical valve body is aligned with the at least one aperture of the lower conical valve body and a closed position in which the at least one aperture of the upper conical valve body is not aligned with the at least one aperture of the lower conical valve body.

A method of controlling discharge of bulk material from a container, the method comprising:

• providing a valve assembly including an upper conical valve body having at least one aperture and a lower conical valve body nested under and within the upper conical valve body, the lower conical valve body having at least one aperture, wherein a tapered roller thrust bearing is disposed between the upper conical valve body and the lower conical valve body;
• engaging a toothed member with a ring gear portion of the lower conical valve body;
• and
• rotating the lower conical valve body relative to the upper conical valve body via the engagement between the toothed member and the ring gear portion, wherein the tapered roller thrust bearing facilitates the rotation, to move the valve assembly between an open position in which the at least one aperture of the upper conical valve body is aligned with the at least one aperture of the lower conical valve body and a closed position in which the at least one aperture of the upper conical valve body is not aligned with the at least one aperture of the lower conical valve body.