Container having means for stacking at three different levels

Abstract: An open topped container 1 has base supports 8 and 9 each of which consists of an upper U-shaped support bar 10 and a lower U-shaped support bar 11. The bars are pivotally mounted on opposed side walls 3 and 4 to be pivotal to a position in which they overlie the base 2 of the container or a position out of said overlying relationship. The support bars 10 and 11 can be selectively pivotted to provide column stacking of two similar containers or either of two depths for nest stacking those containers where the upper container is received within the lower container in a vertical column. For column stacking the upper bars 10 are pivotted to overlie the base 3 to support an overlying container. For nest stacking the bars 10 are pivotted out of overlying relationship with the base 2 so that an overlying container can be nested in a shallow condition in which it is supported on the bars 11 or in a deep condition where the bars 11 are displaced out of overlying relationship with the base 2. In an alternative embodiment each of the base supports 8 and 9 can be provided by a single pivotally mounted support bar.

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD & BACKGROUND ART The present invention relates to an open topped container which can be assembled with several similar containers to form a vertical column in either a nested condition (where an overlying container is partly received within the container which underlies it so that bases of adjacent nested containers are relatively close together) or a stacked condition (in which adjacent containers in the column are supported so that their bases are relatively widely spaced). More particularly the invention concerns open topped containers having pivotally mounted base supports such as bars which are associated with the open top to extend between opposed side walls of the containers and be adjustable to one position in which they provide clearance through the open top for a similar container to be received for nesting and another position in which the supports are located and retained to support the base of an overlying container in column stacking. An example of an open topped container capable of nesting or column stacking by use of pivotal bars is disclosed in G.B. A-1,444,356. The advantages of containers which are capable of both nesting and column stacking are well known in the art. Principally these are that the containers when empty can be assembled as a vertical column in a nested condition to minimise the space occupied by the containers (as is desirable for storage and transport) and the containers when full can be stacked as a vertical column (which is again convenient for storage and transport) while the base supports ensure that the contents of a container will not be compressed or otherwise damaged by overlying containers. However, with known open topped containers of this latter type it is frequently found that with several containers stacked as a column, the column occupies an amount of storage space which is not justified by the contents of the containers. To alleviate this disadvantage containers of the kind discussed have been proposed which provide the option of three levels of assembly in forming a vertical column, namely the aforementioned fully nested and stacked conditions and an intermediate nested condition in which adjacent containers in the column are supported so that their bases are spaced at a distance less than that of the stacked conditions and greater than that of the fully nested condition. An example of a container which provides the facility for three level column assembly as aforementioned is disclosed in Patent specification GB-A-2 104 486. In this latter specification there is an open topped container comprising a base, opposed side walls and opposed end walls extending upwardly from the base, and two U-shaped support bars located one towards each end of the opposed side walls, each support bar having a back portion which extends between the opposed side walls and leg portions which are mounted on the side walls so that the support bar can be pivoted for effecting selective adjustment thereof, the two support bars being selectively adjustable to a first position of adjustment in which they are supported with the back portions thereof out of overlying relationship with the base to provide clearance whereby a first of two similar containers can be received through the open top of the second container having its two support bars in the first position for the first container to be nested in a deep condition in the second container, a second position of adjustment in which the two support bars are supported by first seatings of the side walls with their back portions in overlying relationship with the base whereby the said first container can be column stacked with its base supported on the back portions of the two support bars of the second container having those bars in the second position and a third position of adjustment in which the two support bars are supported by second seatings of the side walls with their back portions in overlying relationship with the base whereby the said first container can be nested in a shallow condition in the second container with the base of the first container supported on the back portions of the two support bars of the second container having those bars in the third position, and in which shallow nested condition the base of the first container is spaced from the base of the second container to a greater extent than said spacing when the containers are in the deep nested condition and to a lesser extent than said spacing when the containers are column stacked. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved open topped container which provides a three level assembly facility in forming a column as aforementioned. Said container is mainly defined in claim 1. As is usual for containers of the kind to which the present invention applies, the base and walls will usually be moulded in plastics with plastics or metal forming the U-shaped support bars. It is also usual that the container of the invention when in a deep nested, shallow nested or column stacked condition with a second similar container will have its base substantially parallel with the base of the second container. Typically, the container will be of generally oblong rectangular parallelopipedon shape with the side walls extending over the longer extent and with a support bar provided towards each end of the container so that the support bars provide symmetrical support to the base of an overlying container in a stack. The support bar is maintained in its first position of adjustment by abutment with a wall of the container and is moveable passed the abutment by flexure (either by flexing of the abutment or flexing of the support bar). This may permit the support bar to be adjustable between the second position and the third position through the first position. In the first position of adjustment the support bar can conveniently abut an adjacent end wall. It will be appreciated that the container of the present invention will have its upstanding walls appropriately tapered, splayed and/or stepped as is well known in the art to provide a required configuration for several similar container to be nested in a vertical column. DRAWINGS One embodiment of an open topped container constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative Drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an open topped container (not in accordance with the present invention) in which a base support means is provided by two support bars at each end of the container; Figure 2 is a scrap section taken on the line II - II of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing part of the embodiment of the open topped container in accordance with the present invention in which the base support means is provided by a single support bar at each end of the container, and Figures 4, 5 and 6 are scrap sections taken on the line X - X of Figure 3 and respectively illustrate the single support bar in its positions for column stacking, deep nesting and shallow nesting with a second similar container. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The containers 1 have a generally flat oblong rectangular base 2 upstanding from which are opposed longer side walls 3 and 4 and opposed end walls 5 and 6 which extend between the side walls. Usually the base and walls are formed as a plastics moulding. The walls 3 to 6 are stepped to diverge outwardly as they approach and form a rectangular open top 7 within which can be located the base and lower portions of the walls of a similar overlying container (indicated in some Figures at 1A) to provide nesting in the erection of the vertical column in known manner. Extending between the opposed side walls 3 and 4 are two base support means indicated at 8 and 9 which are located, one each, towards the longitudinally opposite ends of the container. The base support means 8 and 9 are constructed in an identical manner to each other and serve a similar purpose, for convenience therefore the means 9 need only be described. In the container shown in Figures 1 and 2 (which is not in accordance with the present invention), the base support means 9 consists of two metal or plastics support rods or bars 10 and 11 each of which has a straight back portion 12 and leg portions 13. The support bar 10 has its leg portions 13 presenting bosses which are pivotally mounted at 14 in the respective side walls 3 and 4 so that the bar 10 can pivot about an axis extending through the pivots 14 for its back portion 12 to be positioned in a rebate 15 in the top edge of the end wall (as shown at the lefthand end of Figure 1) or to be accommodated in seatings 16 in the side walls so that its back portion 10 extends across the open top 7 (as shown at the righthand end of the container in Figure 1). The support bar 11 is located within the container 1 at a lower level than the bar 10 and has the ends of its legs 13 presenting bosses which are pivotally mounted at 17 in the side walls 3 and 4. The bar 11 can be pivotted optionally so that its back portion 12 will lie on an upwardly directed internal shoulder 18 of the adjacent end wall (as shown for the bar 11 at the lefthand end of the container in Figure 1) or to be seated in rebates 19 so that the back portion 12 of the bar 11 extends across the width of the container parallel to and spaced from the end walls (as shown at the righthand end of the container in Figure 1). With the two support bars 10 in their respectively associated seating 16 and the two support bars 11 seated in their respectively associated rebates 19 it will be seen, particularly from Figure 2 that the back portions 12 will overlie the base 2. Alternatively when the support bars 10 are pivotted for their back portions 12 to be seated in their respectively associated rebates 15 and when the back portions of the bars 11 are supported on their respectively associated shoulders 18, it will be seen from Figure 2 that the back portions of the respective support bars are out of overlying relationship with the base 2. It will be apparent from Figures 1 and 2 that when the two support bars 10 are pivotted so that they are supported on the seatings 16 presented by upwardly directed shoulders on the side walls, their back portions 12 extend across the open top of the container in the general plane of that top opening so that a second similar container 1A can be column stacked with its base 2 standing on the back portions of the support bars 10. Such column stacking permits a major part of the container to be available for receiving goods to be stored or transported whilst alleviating the likelihood of such goods being damaged or crushed by loading from an overlying container in the erection of a column of containers. By pivotting the support bars 10 so that they are accommodated in the rebates 15 and pivotting the two support bars 11 so that they are supported in the seatings 19 for their back portions 12 to overlie the base 2 as shown in Figure 2, a second similar container can be lowered through the open top of the underlying container 1 so that its base and lower parts of its walls are received within the underlying container until the base of the overlying container stands on the back portions 12 of the two support bars 11. In this latter condition the space available for the storage of goods within the underlying container between the base 2 of that container and the base of the overlying container which is supported by the bars 11 will be less than the previous storage space available for the two containers when column stacked; nevertheless this reduction in space may be adequate for certain purposes and may alleviate unnecessary waste of overall storage space which could result from column stacking. If both the support bars 10 and the support bars 11 are pivotted so that their back portions 12 are out of overlying relationship with the base 2 with such back portions resting on the appropriate rebates 15 and shoulders 18, a second similar container 1A (as indicated in Figure 2) can be received within the open top of the container 1 and lowered to effect nesting in a deep condition. In this latter condition the base indicated at 2A of the upper container is at the closest spacing from the base 2 of the underlying container and therefore the underlying container 1 has less space available for the storage of contents than the space which is available when the upper container is supported in a relatively shallow nested condition. The maximum depth to which the upper container may be received within the underlying container may be determined in conventional manner, for example by an external flange or rib 1C on the upper container 1A abutting the upper rim around the open top of the underlying container or by the base of the upper container abutting an internal shoulder presented by the walls of the underlying container. To provide the required nesting the upstanding walls 3 to 6 of the container are tapered or splayed to converge as they approach the base 2. For the container shown in Figures 1 and 2 the walls are shown with a stepped configuration to provide appropriate clearance for nesting and also to ensure that there is adequate space available for the back portion 12 of the support bar 11 (as shown ghosted at 12 in Figure 2) to be positioned out of overlying relationship with the base 2. With the stepped wall and support bar arrangement shown in Figure 2, two containers can be assembled as a vertical column in any one of a deep nested, shallow nested or column stacked conditions with approximately one third of the depth of the container walls separating one condition from another In the second embodiment of the container made in accordance with the present invention a basic arrangement of which is diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 3 to 6, each of the base support means 8 and 9 is in the form of a single U-shaped support rod or bar 20 having a straight back portion 21 which extends between the opposed side walls 3 and 4 of the container and leg portions 22. For convenience in Figures 3 to 6 only the base support means 9 has been shown and it will be appreciated that the base support means 8 towards the opposite end of the container will have a similar but mirror image arrangement to that shown. Also only one end of the support bar 20 has been shown and it will be appreciated that the opposite end of the support bar is arranged on the side wall 4 in a similar manner to that shown on the side wall 3. The leg portions 22 of the support bar 20 have bosses 23 by which they are pivotally mounted on the respective side walls for rotation about a common axis through the two pivots so that the bar can be selectively pivotted. As indicated by arrow B in Figure 3, the bar 20 can be pivotted for the back portion 21 to be displaceable between a high state (shown at H in Figure 3) in which the back portion overlies the base 2, a low state (indicated in ghost at L in Figure 3) in which the back portion 21 overlies the base 2 but is nearer to the base 2 than when in the high state H and a third or intermediate state (indicated in ghost at I in Figure 3) through which the back portion 21 passes in moving between states L and H and in which state I the back portion 21 is out of overlying relationship with the base 2. The support bar 20 is supported in its high state H by abutment of the bar on a seating 24 extending from a channel 24A in which the leg portions 22 of the bar are conveniently accommodated in the high state. The support bar 20 is supported in its low state L by an upwardly directed shoulder or seating 25 in the side wall. The support bar 20 is retained in its intermediate state I by abutment with a stop 26 in the form of a small flange or shoulder on the end wall 6. In moving from the high to the low state H to L, the back portion 21 of the support bar abuts the stop 26 which prevents the support bar from falling into its low state L; however the material, usually plastics, of the stop 26 or the end wall 6 or the back portion 21 of the support bar is sufficiently flexible so that manual downward pressure on the support bar 20 will resiliently displace the bar back portion and stop 26 over each other to move the support bar into its low position L. In Figure 4 the support bar 20 is shown in its high state H and with the two support bars so positioned, a second similar container 1A can be column stacked with its base supported on the back portions 21 of the bars as shown. In Figure 5 the support bar 20 is shown pivotted to its intermediate state I so that its back portion 21 abuts the stop 26 to be out of overlying relationship with the base 2. With this arrangement, a second similar container 1A can be received within the open top 7 in a deep nested condition similar to that previously discussed in connection with the first embodiment. In Figure 6 the support bar 22 is shown pivotted passed the stop 26 into its low state L where the back portion 21 is supported by the seatings 25 to overlie the base 2. With both support bars 20 for the two support bar means 8 and 9 in their low state a second similar container 1A can be received within the open top 7 of an underlying container so that the base 2A of the overlying container stands on the back portions 21 of the support bars. Consequently the two containers will be in a shallow nested condition similar to that previously discussed in connection with the first embodiment. In accordance with conventional practice, the containers as above described when column stacked or in either of their nested conditions with a similar container will usually be arranged so that the overlying bases of the two containers are in parallel relationship. Also channels or rebates will normally be provided on the underside face of the base to receive and provide firm engagement with the back portions on the support bars of a similar underlying container on which the base may sit.

Claims: An open topped container comprising a base (2), opposed side walls (3, 4) and opposed end walls (5, 6) extending upwardly from the base, and two U-shaped support bars (20) located one towards each end of the opposed side walls (3, 4), each support bar (20) having a back portion (21) which extends between the opposed side walls (3, 4) and leg portions (22) which are mounted on the side walls (3, 4) so that the support bar (20) can be pivotted for effecting selective adjustment thereof, the two support bars (20) being selectively adjustable to a first position of adjustment (I) in which they are supported with the back portions (21) thereof out of overlying relationship with the base (2) to provide clearance whereby a first of two similar containers can be received through the open top (7) of the second container having its two support bars (20) in the first position (I) for the first container to be nested in a deep condition in the second container, a second position of adjustment (H) in which the two support bars (20) are supported by first seatings (24) of the side walls (3, 4) with their back portions (21) in overlying relationship with the base (2) whereby the said first container can be column stacked with its base (2) supported on the back portions (21) of the two support bars (20) of the second container having those bars in the second position (H) and a third position of adjustment (L) in which the two support bars (20) are supported by second seatings (25) of the side walls (3, 4) with their back portions (21) in overlying relationship with the base (2) whereby the said first container can be nested in a shallow condition in the second container with the base (2) of the first container supported on the back portions (21) of the two support bars (20) of the second container having those bars in the third position (L), and in which shallow nested condition the base (2) of the first container is spaced from the base (2) of the second container to a greater extent than said spacing when the containers are in the deep nested condition and to a lesser extent than said spacing when the containers are column stacked, CHARACTERISED IN THAT during adjustment of each support bar (20) from each of its first position of adjustment (I) and its second position of adjustment (H) into its third position of adjustment (L) the respective bar (20) engages an abutment (26) on a said wall of the container in its first position (I) and is movable past the abutment (26) by relative flexure between the support bar (20) and the abutment (26) to move from its first position (I) into its third position of adjustment (L). A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the support bars (20) are of plastics and flex relative to the walls of the container to permit those bars (20) to move past the abutments (26) and into their respective third positions (L). A container as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 in which the leg portions (22) of the support bars (20) are accommodated in channels (24A) in the respective side walls (3, 4). A container as claimed in claim 3 in which the first and second seatings (24, 25) extend from said channels (24A) in the respective side walls (3, 4). A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the abutments (26) are located on the opposed end walls (5, 6) of the container.

Inventors: BEBB RICHARD HODSON, BEBB, RICHARD HODSON
Applicants: LIN PAC MOULDINGS, LIN PAC MOULDINGS LIMITED
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65D21
IPC codes: B65D21