US Patent 6948887 Transport container having compartments that can be individually pressurized

A container for use in transporting particulate materials includes a plurality of product compartments, with each such compartment having a material outlet in communication therewith through which particulate material in the compartment may be discharged. The container also includes a gas-tight bulkhead separating a pair of adjacent product compartments, and an unloading system that is adapted for removal of particulate materials from the product compartments. The unloading system includes a source for supplying a pressurizing gas, and one or more top air conduits connecting the pressurizing gas source to the product compartments for conveying pressurizing gas to the product compartments. The unloading system also includes a material conveying conduit that is in fluid communication with one or more of the material outlets and which includes a discharge end through which particulate material may be unloaded. The unloading system is adapted for selectively pressurizing one or more of the product compartments so that particulate material may be discharged through the material outlet of a product compartment that is pressurized. The unloading system is also adapted for entraining material that is discharged through a material outlet in the material conveying conduit and conveying such material to the discharge end of the conduit.