Patent ID: 6168371
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: B62D,B65D

Abstract:
A method of handling a commodity, comprising: providing a container that has a floor, laterally spaced apart sidewalls, a front end wall and a rear end door, together defining a container interior above the floor, longitudinally between of the front end wall and the rear end door, and laterally between the two sidewalls; dividing at least one of the sidewalls into a fixed forward wall portion, a laterally movable rearward wall portion, and a swingable intermediate wall portion that is between the fixed forward wall portion and the movable rearward wall portion; pivotally connecting the intermediate wall portion to the fixed forward wall portion, for pivotal movement about a first vertical axis, and pivotally connecting the intermediate wall portion to the movable rearward wall portion, for pivotal movement about a second vertical axis; opening the rear end door to provide the container with an open rear end; moving the rearward wall portion laterally outwardly and, in the process, swinging the intermediate wall portion in position about both vertical axes, so as to reposition the intermediate wall portion, while maintaining its connection to the fixed forward wall portion and to the movable rearward wall portion; with the rear end door open, loading the expanded container area with a commodity by moving the commodity into the container through the open rear end of the container, after loading, moving the rearward and intermediate wall portions laterally to define a smaller container area; and closing the door to close the rear end of the container.