Bulk material container with an emptying arrangement

Apparatus for storing and dispensing bulk materials and which has at least one base emptying aperture, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a frame which is formed in the general shape of a rectangular box having a length, a width, an upper portion and a lower portion, said frame comprising:
• (1) vertical struts formed of square tubes having an upper end portion and a lower end portion;
• (2) horizontal struts which are connected to the upper end portion of the vertical struts;
• (3) metal side plates which are connected to the lower end portion of the vertical struts;
• and
• (4) a plurality of roof-shaped webs positioned horizontally in the lower portion of the frame and extending between the metal side plates extending along the length of the frame and connected thereto, the plurality of roof-shaped webs are positioned along the length of the frame to provide an aperture between adjacent roof-shaped webs;
• and
• (b) a container which is formed in the general shape of a rectangular box for vertical movement within the frame and having a length, a width, an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper-portion having an upper edge, said container comprising:
• (1) a guide attached to each corner of the container for vertical movement with respect to the adjacent vertical strut of the frame;
• (2) a plurality of roof-shaped connecting struts positioned horizontally in the upper portion of the container and extending between the sides extending along the length of the container and connected thereto;
• (3) the lower portion of the container is retracted in the shape of a truncated pyramid and includes a plurality of roof-shaped webs which extend between the sides extending along the length of the container and connected thereto, the plurality of roof-shaped webs are positioned along the length of the container to provide an aperture between adjacent roof-shaped webs such that a roof-shaped web is in vertical alignment with the aperture between adjacent roof-shaped webs of the frame when the container is positioned within the frame;
• and
• (4) two plates are connected to each of the plurality of roof-shaped webs which are connected to the sides of the container, one each of the two plates is positioned at opposite ends of each of the roof-shaped webs and on the downward-facing surface of each of the roof-shaped webs,
• whereby, when said container is moved upwardly relative to said frame, the apertures between adjacent roof-shaped webs in said frame and the apertures between adjacent roof-shaped webs in said container open to release the bulk material in the container.