Patent ID: 8887914
Filing Date: 2014-11-18
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
1. A bulk material shipping container comprising: a pallet including a shelf and a plurality of guide rails supported by the shelf; a bottom compartment mounted on the pallet, said bottom compartment including each of a plurality of said downwardly angled sections having a lower edge which at least partially forms a material release opening at a bottom of the compartment; a top compartment mounted on the bottom compartment and movable from a retracted position relative to the bottom compartment to an expanded position relative to the bottom compartment, said top compartment including a top wall and plurality of side walls connected to the top wall and extending downwardly from the top wall, the top compartment including four upper corners, a plurality of nesting guides, and a plurality of nesting supports, wherein each nesting guide is attached to one of the corners and at least one of the nesting supports is attached to each nesting guide above the top wall, said nesting supports configured to at least partially support a pallet of another container; a plurality of top compartment supporting assemblies configured to support the top compartment in the expanded position relative to the bottom compartment, and configured to release the top compartment from the expanded position to enable the top compartment to move downwardly into the retracted position; a material unloading assembly supported by the bottom compartment; a material loading assembly attached to the top wall of the top compartment; and an extension assembly including fork lift tine receiving loops attached to the top compartment and configured to enable a loader to move the top compartment upwardly from the retracted position to the expanded position.