Apparatus and methods for discharging particulate material from storage silos

Storage and discharge apparatus for particulate material, comprising:

• a silo;
• at least three hoppers adjacent a lower end of said silo with each hopper being in the form of an inverted, four-sided frustum terminating in a generally rectilinear bottom discharge opening;
• said openings being generally parallel to one another and being spaced from one another in a direction normal to length directions of the openings;
• and
• a gate for each opening movable between open and closed positions, wherein each said gate includes an elongated arcuate closure member pivotally carried by said silo for movement between said open and closed positions, and actuators coupled to said members, respectively, for moving said members independently of one another, and including a safety gate below each of said openings and corresponding gate member, a port in each said safety gate for insertion of a rod through said port and into said opening when said closure member lies in an open position to enable break-up of material plugging said opening by manipulation of the rod.

Apparatus for storing and discharging hot asphaltic mix, comprising:

• a silo;
• at least one hopper adjacent a lower end of said silo and terminating in a bottom discharge opening;
• a gate for said opening movable between open and closed positions, said gate including an elongated arcuate closure member pivotally carried by said silo for movement between said open and closed positions, and fluid actuated cylinders coupled to said member for moving said member between said open and closed positions;
• a safety gate below said opening and said gate member including a port in said safety gate for insertion of a rod through said port and into said opening when said closure member lies in an open position to enable break-up of material plugging said opening by manipulation of said rod.

A method for storing and discharging asphaltic mix from a silo comprising the steps of:

• providing a silo that defines a storage space for storing the asphaltic mix;
• forming at least three hoppers adjacent a lower end of the silo in direct communication with said storage space and terminating in a generally elongated rectilinear bottom discharge opening;
• providing a generally rectilinear truck loading area below said silo and said openings with a length direction thereof perpendicular to the length directions of said hoppers and said openings;
• and
• substantially simultaneously opening gates normally closing said openings to discharge the asphaltic mix from the silo and hoppers through said openings substantially simultaneously into a truck bed disposed in the loading area.

A method for storing and discharging asphaltic mix from a silo comprising the steps of:

• providing a silo defining a storage space for storing the asphaltic mix;
• providing at least a pair of hoppers adjacent a lower end of the silo in direct communication with said storage space and terminating in a bottom discharge opening;
• providing a generally rectilinear truck loading area below said silo and said openings with a length direction thereof perpendicular to the length directions of said hoppers and said openings;
• substantially simultaneously opening gates normally closing said openings to discharge the asphaltic mix from the silo and hoppers through said openings substantially simultaneously into a truck bed disposed in the loading area;
• and
• closing one of said gates and maintaining another of said gates open to discharge asphaltic mix from the silo through said another open gate.