Bulk cement transport apparatus

A bulk material transport truck, comprising:

• a chassis having a pair of bulk material pressure vessels removable and interchangeably mounted in tandem thereon, each vessel includes a top portion having an apex, a side wall portion, and a bottom portion having an apex;
• each pressure vessel includes a sealable operator access hatch opening located on the top portion thereof and being offset from the apex of the top portion;
• each pressure vessel includes a first port located in the top portion thereof and being offset from the apex of the top portion;
• each pressure vessel having a second port located in the top portion thereof, being offset from the apex of the top portion, and being located opposite the first port with respect to the apex of the top portion;
• each pressure vessel having a discharge port located in the bottom portion thereof;
• each pressure vessel having an air inlet means for introducing pressurized air into the interior of the respective vessel;
• each pressure vessel having vent pipe means removably attached to one of the ports located on the top portion thereof, wherein each vent pipe means is routed to converge and eventually join with the adjacent vent pipe means at a preselected position between each vessel on a preselected side thereof;
• each pressure vessel having bulk material inlet pipe means removably attached to one of the remaining ports located on the top portion thereof, wherein each material inlet pipe means is routed to converge and eventually join with the adjacent bulk material inlet pipe means at a preselected position between each vessel on a preselected side thereof;
• each pressure vessel having bulk material discharge pipe means removably attached to one of the discharge ports located on the bottom portion thereof, wherein each bulk material discharge pipe means is routed generally parallel to the mobile base on a preselected side thereof;
• and
• an operator platform positioned at a preselected distance from the offset hatch openings and within such proximity of the offset hatch openings so as to enable an operator positioned on the operator platform to gain access to the interior of the pressure vessels through the hatch openings without having to step off the platform.

A bulk material transport trailer towable by a tractor, comprising:

• a trailer chassis having a pair of bulk material pressure vessels removably and interchangeably mounted in tandem thereon, each paired vessel having a top portion with an apex, a side wall portion, and a bottom portion with an apex;
• each pressure vessel having a sealable operator access hatch opening located on the top portion thereof and being offset from the apex of the top portion;
• each pressure vessel having a first port located in the top portion thereof and being offset from the apex of the top portion;
• each pressure vessel having a second port located in the top portion thereof, being offset from the apex of the top portion, and being located opposite the first port with respect to the apex of the top portion;
• each pressure vessel having a discharge port located in the bottom portion thereof;
• each pressure vessel having an air inlet means for introducing pressurized air into the interior of the respective vessel;
• each pressure vessel having vent pipe means removably attached to one of the ports located on the top portion thereof, wherein each vent pipe means is routed to converge and eventually join with the adjacent vent pipe means at a preselected position between each vessel on a preselected side thereof;
• each pressure vessel having bulk material inlet pipe means removably attached to one of the remaining ports located on the top portion thereof, wherein each material inlet pipe means is routed to converge and eventually join with the adjacent bulk material inlet pipe means at a preselected position between each vessel on a preselected side thereof;
• each pressure vessel having bulk material discharge pipe means removably attached to one of the discharge ports located on the bottom portion thereof, wherein each bulk material discharge pipe means is routed generally parallel to the mobile base on a preselected side thereof;
• and
• an operator platform positioned at a preselected distance from the offset hatch openings and within such proximity of the offset hatch openings so as to enable an operator positioned on the operator platform to gain access to the interior of the pressure vessels through the hatch openings without having to step off the platform.