Cart for bulk filling intermodal containers

Apparatus for filling an elongated intermodal container with an agricultural crop, the container having an opening at one end, the apparatus comprising:

• a support structure having a pair of laterally spaced and laterally adjustable wheels;
• a hopper having an open upper end to receive crop and a lower crop outlet, the hopper being carried by the support structure;
• a conveyor carried by the support structure having proximal and distal ends, the conveyor being disposed beneath the hopper outlet for receiving crop from the hopper and the conveyor extending away from the hopper outlet with a predetermined angle of upward inclination to the distal end thereof, the conveyor being adapted to be positioned external of the container with the distal end adjacent the opening of the container, the conveyor being operable at a speed to throw the crop through the opening and into the interior of the container, the crop following an arcuate path as function of the conveyor inclination and speed so as to reach an opposite end of the container to substantially fill the container from outside of the container;
• and
• a lift assembly to raise and lower the hopper and conveyor while maintaining the predetermined angle of conveyor inclination.

An apparatus for bulk filling a container with an agricultural crop comprising:

• a support structure;
• a hopper carried by the support structure having an open upper end to receive a crop and a lower outlet;
• a conveyor carried by the support structure having proximal and distal ends, the conveyor being disposed beneath the hopper outlet for receiving crop from the hopper and the conveyor extending away from the hopper outlet with a predetermined angle of upward inclination to the distal end thereof the conveyor being operable at a speed to throw the material through an opening of the container and into an interior of the container, the material following an arcuate path as a function of the conveyor inclination and speed so as to reach the opposite end of the container whereby the container is substantially fillable from outside of the container;
• wheels on the support structure to facilitate moving of the apparatus;
• and
• a lift assembly to raise and lower the hopper and the conveyor and maintain the predetermined angle of upward inclination of the conveyor over a range of conveyor vertical positions.

An apparatus for bulk filling a container through a container opening with an agricultural crop comprising:

• a support structure;
• a hopper carried by the support structure having an open upper end to receive a crop and a lower outlet
• a conveyor carried by the support structure having proximal and distal ends, the conveyor being disposed beneath the hopper outlet for receiving crop from the hopper and the conveyor extending away from the hopper outlet with a predetermined angle of upward inclination to the distal end thereof the conveyor being operable at a speed to throw the crop through the opening and into an interior of the container, the crop following an arcuate path as a function of the conveyor inclination and speed so as to reach the opposite end of the container whereby the container is substantially fillable from outside of the container;
• a lift assembly to raise and lower the hooper and the conveyor and maintain the predetermined angle of upward inclination of the conveyor over a range of conveyor vertical positions;
• and,
• the support structure adapted to straddle a conventional highway transport flatbed truck to support the hopper and conveyor above the trailer.