Mobile oilfield materialtransfer unit

Abstract

A mobile oilfield material transfer unit includes a chassis having a gooseneck and support base, the support base including a first portion and second portion, and the chassis further comprising a rear axle suspension system coupled with at least two wheels for movably supporting the chassis. The mobile oilfield material transfer unit further includes an erecting mast assembly having a mast movably connected with the chassis proximate to the second portion, and an actuator system coupled with the mast and with the chassis for moving the mast between a horizontal position and a vertical position. At least two vertical conveyor assemblies may be coupled with the erecting mast and moveable between the horizontal position and the vertical position, and at least two horizontal conveyor systems may be coupled with the support frame and engageable with the at least two vertical conveyor assemblies. Each of the at least two horizontal conveyor systems may have a horizontal section with an inlet and an inclinable section with a discharge chute. Also, each of the at least two horizontal conveyor systems may be adapted to move a volume of oilfield material from the inlet to the discharge chute.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile oilfield material transfer system, comprising:
 a mobile oilfield material transfer unit comprising a chassis and an erecting mast assembly having a mast movably connected with the chassis and an actuator system coupled with the mast and with the chassis for moving the mast between a horizontal position and a vertical position;   a first conveyor assembly configured to be coupled with the mast and moveable between the horizontal position and the vertical position, wherein the first conveyor assembly comprises a first conveyor, an inlet, and an upper discharge portion, wherein the first conveyor is configured to move oilfield material from the inlet to the upper discharge portion; and   a second conveyor assembly including a second conveyor having a horizontal section with an inclinable section connected to the horizontal section and configured to move the oilfield material toward the inlet of the first conveyor assembly when the first conveyor assembly and the mast are moved to the vertical position, wherein the horizontal section comprises a plurality of ramps configured to provide access to one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles, and a plurality of inlet openings configured to receive the oilfield material from the one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles when the one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles are driven onto the ramps.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile oilfield material transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the first conveyor comprises a bucket elevator. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile oilfield material transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the first conveyor and the second conveyor each comprise enclosed oilfield material flow paths. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile oilfield material transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the first conveyor assembly is below and proximate to a discharge of the inclinable section of the second conveyor assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile oilfield material transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator system of the erecting mast assembly comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator configured to actuate mechanical linkages to move the mast between the horizontal position and the vertical position. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile oilfield material transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the erecting mast assembly is configured to be stowed within the chassis when the mast is in the horizontal position. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile oilfield material transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal section of the second conveyor comprises a plurality of cover lids, each cover lid configured to prevent unwanted oilfield material ingress into a respective inlet opening when the respective inlet opening is not receiving oilfield material from an oilfield material delivery vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile oilfield material transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet openings of the horizontal section of the second conveyor is configured to receive the volume of oilfield material from the one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles under gravity. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile oilfield material transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the inclinable section of the second conveyor comprises a telescoping neck. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 moving a mast of an erecting mast assembly of a mobile oilfield material transfer unit between a horizontal position and a vertical position using an actuator system coupled with the mast and a chassis of the mobile oilfield material transfer unit, wherein moving the mast between the horizontal position and the vertical position causes a first conveyor assembly coupled with the mast to be moved between the horizontal position and the vertical position, wherein the first conveyor assembly comprises a first conveyor, an inlet, and an upper discharge portion, the first conveyor configured to move oilfield material from the inlet to the upper discharge portion; and   providing a second conveyor assembly including a second conveyor having a horizontal section with an inclinable section connected to the horizontal section and configured to move the oilfield material toward the inlet of the first conveyor assembly when the first conveyor assembly and the mast are moved to the vertical position, wherein the horizontal section comprises a plurality of ramps configured to provide access to one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles, and a plurality of inlet openings configured to receive the oilfield material from the one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles when the one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles are driven onto the ramps.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first conveyor comprises a bucket elevator. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first conveyor and the second conveyor each comprise enclosed oilfield material flow paths. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inlet of the first conveyor assembly is below and proximate to a discharge of the inclinable section of the second conveyor assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the actuator system of the erecting mast assembly comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator configured to actuate mechanical linkages to move the mast between the horizontal position and the vertical position. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising stowing the erecting mast assembly within the chassis when the mast is in the horizontal position. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the horizontal section of the second conveyor comprises a plurality of cover lids, each cover lid configured to prevent unwanted oilfield material ingress into a respective inlet opening when the respective inlet opening is not receiving oilfield material from an oilfield material delivery vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising receiving the volume of oilfield material from the one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles under gravity via the inlet openings of the horizontal section of the second conveyor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inclinable section of the second conveyor comprises a telescoping neck. 
     
     
         19 . A mobile oilfield material transfer system, comprising:
 a mobile oilfield material transfer unit comprising a chassis and an erecting mast assembly having a mast movably connected with the chassis and an actuator system coupled with the mast and with the chassis, wherein the actuator system comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator configured to actuate mechanical linkages to move the mast between a horizontal position and a vertical position, wherein the erecting mast assembly is configured to be stowed within the chassis when the mast is in the horizontal position;   a first conveyor assembly configured to be coupled with the mast and moveable between the horizontal position and the vertical position, wherein the first conveyor assembly comprises a first conveyor, an inlet, and an upper discharge portion, wherein the first conveyor comprises a bucket elevator configured to move oilfield material from the inlet to the upper discharge portion, wherein the first conveyor comprises a first enclosed oilfield material flow path; and   a second conveyor assembly including a second conveyor having a horizontal section with an inclinable section connected to the horizontal section and configured to move the oilfield material toward the inlet of the first conveyor assembly when the first conveyor assembly and the mast are moved to the vertical position, wherein the horizontal section comprises a plurality of ramps configured to provide access to one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles, and a plurality of inlet openings configured to receive the oilfield material from the one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles under gravity when the one or more oilfield material delivery vehicles are driven onto the ramps, wherein the second conveyor comprises a second enclosed oilfield material flow path.   
     
     
         20 . The mobile oilfield material transfer system of  claim 19 , wherein the horizontal section of the second conveyor comprises a plurality of cover lids, each cover lid configured to prevent unwanted oilfield material ingress into a respective inlet opening when the respective inlet opening is not receiving oilfield material from an oilfield material delivery vehicle.