US3379339A - Stackable container having movable support members - Google Patents

Description

April 1968 D. J. ASENBAUER 3,379,339

STACKABLE CONTAINER HAVING MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBERS Filed Aug. 1.7, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l I NVEN TOR. 501/440 J Jim 5,40%

A ril 23, 1968 Filed Aug. 1.7, 1965 fl/: 4. 3 m

D. J. ASEN BAUER 3,379,339

STACKABLE CONTAINER HAVING MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 1 68 D. J. ASENBAUER 3,379,339

STACKABLE CONTAINER HAVING MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBERS Filed Aug. l7, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 WWW;

. INVENTOR. flan 440 iii/V5405? April 23, 1968 o. .1. ASENBAUER STACKABLE CONTAINER HAVING MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. l7, 1965 mvsmoa 5/1/5405? BY 2 I April 1968 D. J. ASENBAUER 3,379,339

STACKABLE CONTAINER HAVING MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBERS Filed Aug. 17, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 4Z I, r148 A? {@3 6 4; 45 M i 200 INVENTOR. flaw 4.0 J. 4551/5405? Uit ABSTRACT OF THE DISiCLGSURE A unitary molded plastic container having flanged side walls, longitudinally extending slots formed in both the side walls and flanges near the container ends, a pair of metal stacking bails slidingly retained in the slots at respective ends of the containers, and transverse ribs formed in the bottom wall of the container directly beneath the inner ends of the bail slots and having downwardly opening channels under the ribs so that when the stacking bails are in their innermost positions an identical superimposed container may be stacked thereon with the channels of the superimposed container being engaged by and supported on the bails of the underneath container; while alternatively the bails may be moved to their outermost positions at the ends of the container for nesting identical containers with each other.

Background of invention This invention relates generally to containers and has more particular reference to novel stacking and nesting containers.

Reuseable containers must be handled in two different conditions, to wit, the empty condition and the filled cndition. Optimum utilization of the floor space occupied by such containers requires stacking of the containers in both their empty and filled conditions. otaclting of filled containers requires suitable stacking surfaces on the top and bottom of each container, whereby the bottom stacking surfaces on each container in a container stack may rest on the upper stacking surfaces on the adjacent lower container in such a way as to leave unrestricted the interior space of each container. The prior art is replete with a wide variety of stacking containers of this general type. Many of these existing stacking containers, however, are so constructed that they must be stacked in the same way when empty. This manner of stacking empty containers is undesirable for the reason that the empty interior spaces of the stacked containers represents substantial waste storage space.

For this reason, so called stacking and nesting containers have been devised. Such stacking and nesting containers are constructed in such a way that they may be stacked one on top of the other when filled and nested one inside the other when empty. Nesting of empty containers obviously maximizes the number of containers which may be stored on a given floor space.

Generally speaking, the existing stacking and nesting containers are of two different types. One type has fixed stackin surfaces. The other type has movable stacking surfaces which may be extended and retracted. The existing stacking and nesting containers with fixed stacking surfaces are so constructed that when the adjacent containers in a container stack are rotated to one relative angular position, the stacking surfaces on the adjacent containers are vertically aligned to register in stacking engagement and thereby condition the containers to be supported one on top of the other. When the adjacent containers are rotated to another relative angular position, their stacking surfaces are misaligned to permit the con- States Patent 0 tainers to nest one inside the other. In some cases, for example, the adjacent containers, when conditioned for stacking, are disposed at right angles to one another so that the bottom wal of each container rests on the upper edges of the side walls of the adjacent lower container. This method of stacking containers is commonly referred to in the rade as cross stacking. Such cross stacking containers are conditioned for nesting by rotating the adjacent containers into alignment, thereby to permit each container to nest within the adjacent lower container. In other cases, the stacking and nesting containers are turned end for end to condition them for stacking and nesting.

The existing containers with fixed stacking surfaces are deficient in certain respects. For example, the fixed stacking surfaces on these containers generally project into the interior space of the containers and thereby reduce the effective interior volume of the containers. Moreover, such inwardly projecting stacking surfaces render difficult the task of placing articles in and removing articles from the containers. Another disadvantage of the existing stacking and nesting containers with fixed stacking surfaces resides in the fact that the taper of the container walls, which is necessary to permit nesting of the containers, increases the inward projection of the stacking surfaces required for proper supporting engagement of the lower stacking surfaces on each container in a container stack with the upper stacking surfaces on the adjacent lower container in the stack. This further reduces the efifective interior volume of the containers and increases the dilficulty of placing articles in and removing the articles from the containers.

The foregoing and other deficiencies of the existing stacking and nesting containers with fixed stacking surfaces are cured, to some extent, by the stacking and nesting containers with movable stacking surfaces. Thus, these latter containers are equipped with stacking members or supports which may be extended to permit stacking of the containers one on top of the other and retracted to permit the containers to nest one inside the other. The existing containers with such retractable stacking supports, however, are in themselves deficient for several reasons. The existing containers, for example, are costly to manufacture and, in most cases, involve rather complicated manufacturing operations in connection with fabrication and assembly of the stacking supports. Moreover, the retractable stacking supports in some of the existing containers, when retracted, increase the overall external size of the containers. Also, tle stacking supports on these containers tend to be quite complicated in construction and difiicult to manipulate between their extended and retracted positions. By way of example, in one of the prior stacking and nesting containers of which I am aware, the ends of the stacking supports are contained in slots in the container body that are curved to aid in retaining the supports in their extended positions. In another prior container, the body slots which receive the ends of the stacking supports are notched to retain the supports in their extended and retracted positions. Such curved and notched slots are diflicult and costly to machine and impede extension and retraction of the supports. Moreover, in some cases, the slots are required to be reinforced by metal liners which further complicate and add to the cost of the containers. In yet another prior stacking and nesting container of which I am aware, the stacking supports are retracted by rotating them to positions outboard of the ends of the container body. These latter supports when retracted, therefore, increase the overall length of the container. Moreover, the latter stacking supports tend to be unstable when extended for the reason that the central container engaging portions of the supports are located above the ends of the supports which engage in slots in the container body.

Efficient and safe stacking of containers presents certain reqiurements which the existing stacking and nesting containers heretofore discussed do not fully sa isfy, at least not in the most etficient manner. Thus, stacking containers must be capable of supponing substantial stacking loads and, yet must be sufficiently light to be easily handled and sufficiently simple in construction as to be capable of manufacture at low cost. From this standpoint, for example, it is desirable that each element of a stacking and nesting container serve as many func t-ions as possible in order to minimize the number of separate elements which must be embodied in the container. 'In most of the stacking and nesting containers of which I am aware, however, the stacking means of the containers are utilized only for stacking purposes and do not contribute, at least to any material extent, to the load supporting capability of the containers. This is particularly true, for example, of the existing stacking and nesting containers with retractable stacking supports. As a consequence, the main body of the existing containers must be sufiiciently strong, in and of themselves, to support the required stacking loads. This results in container bodies which are relatively massive and ditficult to handle, even when empty.

A further prerequisite to efiicient and safe stacking of containers is the capability of interlocking the adjacent containers in a stack against relative shifting, both in their lateral and endwise directions. Some of the existing stacking and nesting containers are not designed to provide such effective interlocking of adjacent stacked containers. Those existing containers which are so designed tend to be quite complex in construction, bulky in size, and difficult to properly stack one on top of the other.

In actual practice, it is sometimes desirable to stack containers one on top of the other in the normal fashion, that is in such a way that the longitudinal axes of all of the stacked containers are parallel. In other cases, it is desirable to cross stack the containers in the manner mentioned earlier. The existing stacking and nesting containers of which I am aware, while they may conceivably be stacked in both of these ways, are not specitically designed for this purpose. Accordingly, such containers can be efficiently and safely stacked only in the one way for which they are designed.

It is evident at this point, therefore, that a definite need exists for improved stacking and nesting containers of the general character described.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide such improved stacking and nesting containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved stacking and nesting containers which are relatively simple in construction, economical to manufacture, light weight, easy to stack and nest, and utilize a one piece plastic body that is adapted for fabrication by a relatively low cost vacuum molding process.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved stacking and nesting containers having retractable stacking supports which are compact, simple and economical to fabricate and install, easy to manipulate between their extended and retracted positions, and are contained within the confines of the container bodies when retracted so as to not increase the overall external size of the containers.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved stacking and nesting containers wherein the reractable stacking supports are uniquely constructed and arranged to reinforce the side walls of the container bodies against lateral deflection under stacking loads.

A still further object of the invention is to provide stacking and nesting containers which may be stacked with other like containers to provide a container stack wherein the longitudinal axes of all the containers are parallel, and which containers may also be cross stacked with other like containers to provide a container stack 4 wherein the longitudinal axes of adjacent containers extend at right angles to one another.

A related object of the invention is to provide improved stacking and nesting containers wherein the adjacent containers in a container stack are interlocked in such a way as to positively restrain the adjacent containers against relative lateral and endwise movement.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become readily evident as the description proceeds.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the invention, whereby the objects contemplated are attained; as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an improved stack.- ing and nesting container according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal section taken through two containers disposed in nested relation and illustrating, in broken lines, the manner in which the stacking members of the containers may be quickly and easily retracted during the nesting procedure;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken on line 66 in FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal section through two containers disposed in stacking relation;

FIGURE 8 is a section taken on line 8-43 in FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE l0 is an enlarged perspective view of one end of one of the retractable stacking members embodied in the container of FIGURES 1 through 9;

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which several of the containers may be cross stacked;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a modified stacking and nesting container according to the invention;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken through three containers of the type shown in FIG- URE 12 and illustrating the two lower containers in nesting relation and the two upper containers in stacking relation;

FIGURE 14 is a section taken on line 1414 in FIG- URE 13;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged section taken on line 15-45 in FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a further modified stacking and nesting container according to the invention;

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through two containers of the type shown in FIGURE 16 and illustrating the containers in nesting relation;

FIGURE 18 is an enlarged section taken on line Iii-13 in FIGURE 17;

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a still further modified stacking and nesting container according to the invention;

FIGURE 20 is a longitudinal section taken through two containers of the type shown in FIGURE 19 and.

illustrating the containers in nesting relation;

FIGURE 21 is an enlarged section taken on line 21-21. in FIGURE 20.

The stacking and nesting container 10 illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 11 of these drawings comprises a rectangular container body 12 including a bottom wall 14 bounded by upstanding, upwardly divergent side and end walls 16 and 18, respectively. The upper edge portions of the side and end walls are turned outwardly and then downwardly to form upwardly directed lips 20 along the upper edges of these walls and downwardly directed flanges 22 along the outer edges of the lips. The several flanges and lips are joined at the corners of the container body to define a rim 24 about the open top of the body. The bottom wall 14 of the container body 12 has a pair of raised reinforcing rib formations 26 adjacent the end walls 18, respectively, and extending generally normal to the side walls 16. These rib formations define downwardly opening channels 28 in the underside of the bottom wall. In the region between the rib formations 26, the bottom wall is upwardly arched for strength, as shown in FIGURE 3. The side walls 16 of the container body have generally vertical reinforcing rib formations 39 and 32. Rib formations 32 rise from the outer ends of the bottom wall rib formations 26, respectively, and define laterally opening channels 34 in the outer surfaces of the side walls. The lower ends of the side wall channels 34 open to the outer ends of the bottom wall channels 28.

The container rim 24 has elevated portions 24a along the upper edges of the side walls 16, adjacent end walls 18, respectively. Extending through these elevated portions of the rim are slots 36 which are disposed in a common plane parallel to the bottom wall of the container. As best shown in FIGURE 9, each elevated rim portion 24:: has a pair of aligned slots 36 which extend through the inner side wall and outer flange of the respective elevated rim portion. The two elevated portions of the rim along each container side wall 16 define therebetween an upwardly opening recess 38.

The side wall recesses 38 are laterally aligned and have a length substantially equal to or slightly greater than the width of the bottom wall 14 of the container, measured between the ends of the bottom wall channels 28. The center distance between these bottom wall channels is substantially equal to the distance between the upper edges of the container side walls 16, measured between the recessed portions 38 thereof.

At this point, it is evident that a number of the containers 10 may be cross stacked in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 11. When thus cross stacking the containers, each container is disposed at right angles to its adjacent upper and lower containers, and the alternate containers are aligned. Each container rests on the side walls of the adjacent lower container, within the side wall recesses 38 of the latter container, and the upper edges of the side walls of each container, within these recesses, engage the bottom wall 14 of the adjacent upper container within the bottom wall channels 28 of the latter container. Accordingly, the several stacked containers are interlocked against relative endwise and lateral movement. Thus, each container is restrained against endwise movement relative to the adjacent lower container by the interengaging side walls and bottom wall channels of these containers. Each container is restrained against lateral movement relative to the adjacent lower container by the upstanding ends 40 of .the recesses 38 in the latter container.

The present container 13 is also adapted to be stacked in the usual way, that is stacked in such a way that the longitudinal axes of all of the stacked containers are parallel, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. To this end, a container It? is equipped with retractable stacking supports 52, or stacking bails as they will be hereinafter referred to. Each stacking bail comprises a flat metal bar 44, the ends of which extend slidably through the pairs of aligned slots in the elevated portions 24a of the container rim 24. Press fitted in the outboard ends of each bail bar 44 are pins 45 which restrain the stacking bails against endwise movement. Preferably, these pins are located between the side walls 15 and rim flanges 22 so as to be obscured from view by the container rim 2.4. These pins are removable to permit replacement of the bails should the latter become bent or otherwise damaged. Fixed to and rising from the upper surface of the bar 44 of each stacking bail are lugs 48 having inner confronting shoulder surfaces 50. The spacing between theseshoulder surfaces is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the width of the container body 12 measured between the outer surfaces of the side wall channels 34, adjacent the lower ends of these channels. The shoulder surfaces diverge upwardly, as shown at the same angle as the outer surfaces of the side wall channels. As will appear presently, the bail lugs 48 serve the dual function of locating and reinforcing the adjacent upper container when a number of the containers are stacked one on top of the other. In the particular container illustrated, the lugs 48 comprise bent rods of generally inverted U-shape which are welded to the bail bars 44.

The stacking bails 42 are laterally movable endwise of the container body 12, between the extended stacking positions shown in FIGURE 7, wherein the bails are located adjacent the inner ends of the bail slots 36, and the retracted nesting positions shown in FIGURE 2, wherein the bails are located adjacent the outer ends of the bail slots. In their extended positions, the stacking bails are situated directly over the adjacent bottom wall channels 28 of the container body 12. In their retracted positions, the stacking bails are situated over the end wall lips 20.

It is now evident that the container It), in addition to having the capability of being cross stacked with other like containers, in the manner shown in FIGURE 11, can be stacked in the more conventional way illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8. When the containers are stacked in this latter way, the stacking bails 42 on each container are extended and each container in the stack rests on the stacking bails of the adjacent lower container. The interior space of each container is thus in no way restricted by the adjacent upper container. Moreover, the bars 44 of the stacking bails on each container engage the bottom wall 14 of the adjacent upper container within the bottom wall channels 28 of the latter container. The adjacent containers are thereby restrained against relative endwise movement. The upstanding lugs 43 on the stacking bails of each container straddle the bottom of the adjacent upper container, within the side wall channels 34 of the latter container, and thereby restrain the adjacent containers against relative lateral movement.

At this point, it is evident that the stacking bails 42 on the present container 1%, when extended, permit a number of the containers to be stacked one on top of the other. The stacking bails and bottom wall channels 28 of adjacent containers serve to interlock the adjacent containers against relative lateral and endwise movement. It is significant to note that the bails, when in stacking position, are vertically aligned with the reinforcing rib formations 32 on the container side walls 16. These rib formations assist in transferring the stacking loads from one container to the next without bending of the side walls. Another unique feature of the container resides in the fact that the transverse end walls 40 of the upper container recesses 38 resist pinching together and spreading of side wall and rim flange portions underlying the bail slots 36 when stacking loads are imposed on the stacking bails 42, thereby assuring more efiective and uniform transfer of the stacking loads from the bails to the container rim.

The lugs 43 on the stacking bails 42 serve a highly important function in addition to the above discussed function of interlocking adjacent stacked containers against relative lateral movement. Thus, the lugs on each container in a container stack straddle the sides of the adjacent upper container in such a way as to reinforce the lower edge portions of the side walls 16 of the latter container against outward deflection under the vertical stacking loads imposed on the containers. In this connection, it will be recalled that the inner shoulder surfaces 50 of the bail lugs 48 are spaced and inclined to engage the outer side wall surfaces of the adjacent upper container when a number of the containers are stacked one on top of the other. The upper edge portions of the side walls 16 of each container are restrained against outward deflection by the pins 46 in the outboard ends of its respective stacking bails 42. Thus, the side walls of each container are effectively reinforced by the stacking bails, against lateral deflection under the stacking loads imposed on the containers. As a consequence of this reinforcing action of the stacking bails, the container body 12 is permitted to have a lighter weight construction than would be possible in the abscence of such a reinforcing action. Moreover, the container body m-ay be made of light weight material and by relatively simple manufacturing operations. The body of the illustrated container, for example, may be conveniently fabricated from plastic by a relatively low cost vacuum moulding process. The illustrated container 10, therefore, is relatively light weight and thus easy to handle, particularly in its empty condition.

It is significant to note that the ends of each stacking ball 42 extend through slots in, and are thereby supported both by the side walls 15 and rim flanges 22 of the container body 12. Accordingly, the stacking loads imposed on the bails are more effectively and uniformly transferred to the body rim 24 and through the rim to the walls of the body. Moreover, this dual slot arrangement provides increased surface area contact between the stacking bails and the body 12, thereby eliminating the necessity of fitting reinforcing liners in the bail slots and permitting the body to be molded in one integral piece.

Thus far, the discussion has related only to the stacking capability of the illustrated container 10. This capability of the container is important when the latter is filled, since then the interior space of the container must be left unrestricted by the adjacent upper container in a container stack. As noted earlier, the container is also designed for nesting engagement with other like containers when empty. The container is conditioned for such nesting by moving the stacking bails 42 to the outer retracted positions of FIGURES 5 and 6. In these retracted positions, the bails are situated over the end wall lips and are thus disposed to permit a number of containers to be nested one within the other, in the manner shown. The lugs 48 on the stacking bails are vertically dimensioned so that the end wall lips 26 on each nested container rest on the bail lugs of the adjacent lower container, as illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. In this nested relation, the side and end walls 16 and 18 of adjacent containers are slightly spaced so as to facilitate separation of the containers.

The lugs 48 on the stacking bails 42 also facilitate movement of the bails between their extended and retracted positions when stacking and nesting a number of the containers 10. Thus, when stacking, as well as when nesting, the containers, the stacking bails on each container may be shifted to their extended or retracted positions, as the case may be, by engaging the bail lugs on each container by the ends of the adjacent upper container as the latter is being placed in position on the container stack, as illustrated in phantom lines in FIG- URE 5.

The modified stacking and nesting container 100 illustrated in FIGURES 12 through 15 comprises a container body 12 which is identical to that of the container 10 described above. The stacking bails 192 of the container ltltl each comprise a metal rod 104 which is bent to defin a straight central section 106, offset coaxial ends 108, and intervening inclined connecting sections iii). The ends 108 of each bail rod extend through the slots in the adjacent elevated portions 24a of the container rim 24. Generally semi-spherical heads 112 are welded or forged on the outboard ends of each bail rod to restrain the latter against endwise movement. The heads 112 may be secured to or forged on the bail rods 104 prior to assembly of the latter in the container body 12. In this event, the heads and the bail rods are forced through the bail slots 36 in the container body by spreading these slots. The central sections 106 of the bail rods 104 parallcl the bottom wall 14 of the container body 12 and have a length equal to or slightly greater than the width of the bottom wall, measured between the ends of the bottom wall channels 23.

When stacking a number of the containers 101) with the aid of the stacking 'bails 102, the latter are extended to the inner ends of the bail slots 36. Each container is placed on the stack in such a way that the container rests on the stacking balls of the adjacent lower container, between the inclined bail sections 110, and the central sections 106 of the bails on each container engage the bottom wall 14 of the adjacent upper container within the bottom wall channels 23 of the latter container. The bails and bottom wall channels of adjacent containers thus co-act to restrain the adjacent containers against relative endwise movement. The inclined sections 104 of the stacking bails of each container straddle the bottom of the adjacent upper container and define shoulders for restraining the adjacent containers against relative lateral movement.

When a number of the containers are to be nested, the stacking bails 102 on the containers are moved to their outer retracted positions of FIGURE 13, wherein the bails are located adjacent the outer ends of the bail slots 36 and the central sections 106 of the bails rest on the end wall lips 20. In these retracted positions, the stacking bails are disposed to permit the containers 100 to nest one inside of the other, as shown. In the modified container under consideration, telescoping of the nesting containers is limited by engagement of the side and end walls of adjacent containers.

FIGURES 16 to 18 and FIGURES 19 to 21 illustrate further modified containers 200 and 300 respectively, which are substantially identical to the containers 10 and 100,. respectively, described earlier. The containers 200 and 300 differ from the earlier containers in that the bodies 12 of the containers 2G0 and 300 have elevated rim sections 24b which extend along the upper edges of the container end walls 18 and integrally join the elevated rim sections 24a containing the bail slots 36. The container 2% is otherwis identical to the container 10 and the container 300 is otherwise identical to the container 200. It is evident, therefore, that the container 200 may be stacked and nested with other like containers in the same manner as the container 10, and the container 301) may be stacked and nested with other like containers in the same manner as the container 100. It is further evident that each of the containers 100, 200 and 380 may be cross stacked in the same way as described earlier in connection with the container 10.

It is now apparent, therefore, that the invention herein described and illustrated is fully capable of attaining the several objects and advantages preliminarily set forth.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

I claim:

1. A stacking and nesting container comprising:

a one-piece molded plastic container body having a bottom wall bounded by upstanding, upwardly divergent side and end walls and an upper reinforcing rim including outwardly directed lips along and integrally joined to the upper edges of said side walls and depending flanges along and integrally joined to the outer edges of said lips;

said side walls having slots in their upper edge portions adjacent said end walls and said flanges having slots aligned with said side wall slots, each side wall slot and its aligned flange slot constituting a slot pair;

said slots extending endwise of said body whereby said slots have outer ends proximate to said end walls, respectively, and opposite inner ends; and

a pair of stacking bails extending between the upper edge portions of said side walls adjacent said end walls and the ends of each bail extending slidably through the adjacent slot pairs, whereby each bail is movable endwise of said body between an inner stacking position adjacent the inner ends of the respective slots and an outer nesting position adjacent the outer ends of the respective slots;

each of said bails having a pair of containers locating shoulders formed thereon, which are located adjacent to but inwardly of said side walls, said shoulders rising above the central section of the respective bail in the stacking position thereof, the spacing between said shoulders of each bail being greater than the bottom width of said container body, said locating shoulders on each bail diverging at substantially the same angle as said side walls whereby said shoulders are adapted to engage and support the side walls of another identical container which is stackably superimposed on said bails.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said slots are disposed substantially in a common plane parallel to said bototm wall and have a veitical width slightly greater than the thickness of said stacking bails, whereby said slots locate said bails substantially in a common plane parallel to said bottom wall.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 which includes keepers attached to the outboard ends or" said bails, external to said side walls, for limiting outward deflection of the upper edge portions of said side Walls and at the same time restraining said bails against endwise movement.

4. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said bails consists of a flat bar, said shoulders being sw cured to and rising upwardly from the upper flat surface of the bar.

5. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said stacking bails is a round rod, said rod being bent to define a straight central section, offset coaxial ends, and a pair of intervening inclined connecting sections, said connecting sections forming said shoulders.

6. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said side walls have elevated upper edge portions adjacent said end walls and depressed uppor edge portions in the longitudinal center of said container, said slots being in said elevated upper edge portions, said depressed upper edge portions having a length approximately equal to the bottom width of said body, whereby said container is adapted to be cross-stacked with other like containers.

7. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bottom wall has a pair of upstanding reinforcing rib formations extending generally normal to said side walls and defining downwardly opening channels in the underside of said bottom wall, whereby when said bails occupy said stacking positions said container is adapted to be stacked with other like containers to form a container stack wherein the bails on each container occupy the bottom wall channels of the immediately superimposed container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,026,204 12/ 1935 Andrews 220-97 2,029,746 2/ 1936 Tufts 220-97 3,027,045 3/ 1962 Wilson 220-97 FOREIGN PATENTS 820,036 7/ 1937 France. 1,131,652 1/1957 France. 1,164,911 10/1958 France. 1,177,039 4/ 1959 France. 1,241,114 8/1960 France. 1,311,241 10/1962 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner.

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