Bulk storage bins and methods and apparatus for unloading same

A bulk storage bin, comprising:

• a foundation;
• a continuous perimeter wall supported on the foundation and defining a storage volume;
• and
• a sloped bottom attached to the perimeter wall, and wherein:
• the sloped bottom further defines the storage volume;
• the sloped bottom defines an elongated plurality of outlet openings from the storage volume;
• and
• the perimeter wall, the foundation and the sloped bottom define an unloading tunnel;
• a plurality of gates, each gate associated with a respective outlet opening and moveable from a first position wherein the gate blocks the associated outlet opening, to a second position wherein the gate does not block the associated opening;
• a material receiving device located within the unloading tunnel and beneath the plurality of gates;
• and
• a traveling reclaimer located within the unloading tunnel between the plurality of gates and the material receiving device, and configured to travel in a direction of travel along the unloading tunnel under the plurality of gates, the traveling reclaimer comprising:
• a gate actuator;
• and wherein:
• when the traveling reclaimer is positioned under any given gate, the gate actuator is configured to engage the given gate to allow the gate actuator to move the given gate from the first position to the second position;
• and
• the gate is moveable from the first position to the second position generally perpendicular to the direction of travel of the traveling reclaimer;
• the bulk storage bin further comprising a first rail and a second rail, each rail supported on a respective one of the pair of tunnel walls in parallel, opposed arrangement to one another, and wherein the traveling reclaimer is configured to travel along the rails.