Abstract:
A portable storage container that both stacks and nests with similar containers includes a plurality of walls extending upwardly from a floor. At least one bail member is moveable between a plurality of positions for supporting the similar containers at varying heights. The bail member includes a support portion and two arms extending transversely from the support portion. A projection extends laterally from between axial ends of each arm.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to portable storage containers and more particularly to portable storage containers that provide the ability to select different nesting and stacking depths. 
     Portable storage containers that both stack and nest with similar containers are commonly used for transporting and storing goods. Nesting is typically achieved when an empty container receives a like container therein such that there is at least some overlap between the walls of the containers. The stacking feature is typically used when an occupied container has a like container supported thereon, such that the goods contained in the lower container are preferably not contacted or damaged by the upper container. Many containers use members (known as bail members) to achieve the stacking feature. Bail members may typically be positioned out of the way for purposes of nesting, but then moved to a stacking position for allowing containers to be stacked thereon. 
     The bail members in some containers are movable among three positions: a nesting position, a first stacking position and a second stacking position. In the nesting position, the bail members are out of the way and the upper container can substantially nest within the lower container. The bail members support containers in the first stacking position at a first distance from the floor, where the upper container is not substantially nested within the lower container. The bail members also can be moved to the second stacking position to support the upper container at a second distance from the floor, where the upper container is partially nested within the lower container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A portable storage container that both stacks and nests with similar containers includes a plurality of walls extending upwardly from a floor. At least one bail member is moveable between a plurality of positions for supporting the similar containers at varying heights. The bail member includes a support portion pivotably connected to the container by arms at each end. The bail member includes at least one projection from the arm of the bail member. The projection contacts a support surface of one of the walls while the bail member pivots about the projection when moving from one position to another. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container according to one embodiment of the present invention with the bail members in a low nest position. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial side sectional view of the container of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows the container of  FIG. 1 , with a similar container nested therein. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the container with the bail members in a high stacking position. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial side sectional view of the container of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  shows the container of  FIG. 4 , with a similar container stacked thereon. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the container with the bail members in a middle stacking position. 
         FIG. 8  is a partial side sectional view of the container of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  shows the container of  FIG. 7 , with a similar container stacked thereon. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the container with the bail members in a low stacking position. 
         FIG. 11  is a partial side sectional view of the container of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  shows the container of  FIG. 10 , with a similar container stacked thereon. 
         FIG. 13  is an interior side sectional view of the container of  FIG. 1  showing the path of the bail member from the nest position toward the high stacking position. 
         FIG. 14  is a side sectional view of the container of  FIG. 1  showing the path of the bail member into the high stacking position. 
         FIG. 15  is an interior side sectional view of the container of  FIG. 1  showing the path of the bail member from a high nest position to a transitional position. 
         FIG. 16  is an interior side sectional view of the container of  FIG. 1  showing the path of the bail member from the transitional position to the low stacking position. 
         FIG. 17  is an interior side sectional view of the container of  FIG. 1  showing the path of the bail member from the transitional position to the middle stacking position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A container  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The container  10  includes a floor  12  and a pair of opposed side walls  14  and a pair of opposed end walls  16 . A pair of notches  17  are formed at the bottom of the end walls  16  and the floor  12 . The notches  17  each define a channel which extends from one end wall  16  to the other. 
     Two bail members  18  are each mounted to each end wall  16 . While they may take a variety of shapes, bail members  18  are shown as molded plastic having a generally cylindrical support portion  19  that extends across the length of the container  10 . Each bail member  18  includes a pair of arms  21  extending transversely from the support portion  19 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , each arm  21  includes a lateral projection  38  that protrudes from a mid-point of the interior side of the arm  21 . The lateral projection  38  may be any shape, such as generally triangular or pyramid-shaped as shown, and has an outer end  39 , which in the embodiment shown, is the area near one corner of the triangle. 
     The end walls  16  each include an upper wall portion that has an outer wall portion  20  spaced from an inner wall portion  23 . A lower wall portion  24  is generally aligned below the inner wall portion  23 , such that the outer wall portion  20  forms a support or ledge  25  along the end wall  16 . The side walls  14  similarly include ledges  26  protruding outwardly from the side walls  14  at a height even with the ledges  25  on the end walls  16 . 
     The inner wall portion  23  includes an upper support rest  36  at a height above the floor  12  for supporting the bail member  18  at an upper stacking position. Each upper support rest  36  includes an upwardly open concave recess  37 , which is a notch formed in the inner wall portion  23 . The inner wall portion  23  further includes a middle support rest  40  for supporting the bail member  18  at a mid-level height, and a lower support rest  42 , which is closer to the floor than the upper support rest  36 , for supporting the bail member  18  at a lower stacking position. 
     Elongated pin openings  30  are formed in each outer wall portion  20  to trap pins  32  at the outer ends of the bail members  18 . The pins  32  are slidable and pivotable within the pin openings  30 , such that the bail members  18  can be moved to a plurality of positions and orientations. The pin openings each include a first portion that extends arcuately from an outer end inwardly and downwardly, and a second portion extending from the first portion downwardly to an inner end. The pins  32  are at the inner ends of the pin openings  30  in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     In  FIGS. 1-3 , the bail members  18  are in a nest position. The pins  32  of the bail members  18  are slid to an inner end of the pin opening  30  and the bail members  18  are pivoted to a downward position, as shown. In the nest position, the support portions  19  of the bail members  18  are positioned outwardly of the floor  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in the nest position, a similar container  10 ′ can be nested within the container  10 , such that the floor  12 ′ of the upper container  10 ′ is not supported on the bail members  18 . This position provides the most efficient storage of the containers  10 ,  10 ′ when empty. 
       FIGS. 4-6  illustrate the container  10  in the high stacking position. As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the lateral projection  38  of the arm  18  is supported on the middle rest  40  of the inner wall portion  23 . The support portions  19  of the bail members  18  are supported by the upper rests  36 .  FIG. 6  shows the containers  10 ,  10 ′ of  FIG. 3  with the bail members  18  of the lower container  10  in the high stacking position. The support portions  19  of the bail member  18  of the lower container  10  is received in the notches  17 ′ of the upper container  10 ′ such that the floor  12 ′ of the upper container  10 ′ is supported by the bail members  18 . This position provides the maximum storage capacity in the container  10  and transfers load to the bail members  18 , thus keeping the weight of the upper container  10 ′ off the contents of the lower container  10 . 
       FIGS. 7-9  show the container  10  with the bail members in a middle stacking position. The support portions  19  of the bail members  18  are supported by middle rests  40 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the upper container  10 ′ is supported on the support portions  19  of the bail members  18 . 
       FIGS. 10-12  show the bail members  18  in a low stacking position on the lower support rests  42  on the inner wall portions  23 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , the floor  12 ′ of the upper container  10 ′ is supported above the floor  12  by the bail member  18  to create a storage area between the floors  12 ,  12 ′. 
       FIG. 13  is an interior side sectional view of the container  10  of  FIG. 1  showing the path of the bail member  18  from the nest position toward (but not all the way into) the high stacking position. The bail member  18  pivots about the pin  32  at the lower end of the pin opening  30  until the lateral projection  38  of the arm  21  contacts the middle support rest  40  of the interior wall  23 . 
       FIG. 14  is a side sectional view of the container  10  of  FIG. 1  showing the path of the bail member  18  from the position shown in  FIG. 13  into the high stacking position. As pressure is applied downward and inward onto the support portion  19  of the bail member  18 , the lateral projection  38  acts as a fulcrum, pivoting the bail member  18  about the end  39  of the lateral projection  38 . As the bail member  18  pivots, the pin  32  rises in the pin opening  30 , specifically the vertical portion of the pin opening  30 , and the support portion  19  moves in an arcuate path into the upper rest  38 . 
       FIG. 15  is an interior side sectional view of the container  10  of  FIG. 1  showing the path of the bail member  18  from a high nest position to a transitional position. In the high nest position, the support portion  19  and the pin  32  of the bail member  18  are substantially aligned with the outer edge  26  of the side wall  14 . The outer edge  26  of a similar container (not shown) would rest on the support portion  19 , thus leaving a small space between floors  12 ,  12 ′. From the high nest position, the bail member  18  can be pivoted inwardly about the pin  32  at the outermost end of the pin opening  30 , until the support portion  19  of the bail member  18  is substantially level with the pin  32 . From the transitional position, the bail member  18  can then be moved to either the low stacking position as shown in  FIG. 16 , or the middle stacking position as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
       FIG. 16  is an interior side sectional view of the container  10  of  FIG. 1  showing the path of the bail member  18  from the transitional position to the low stacking position. The support portion  19  of the bail member  18  is pushed downwardly, thereby pivoting the bail member  18  about the pin  32 , which moves inwardly of the container  10  in pin opening  30 . Precise movement is not required, as the projection  38  will be received in a recess  46  in the end wall  16 . As long as the movement is substantially downward (generally perpendicular to the floor  12 ), the support portion  19  will be guided into the lower rest  42 . 
     Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 17 , the support portion  19  of the bail member  18  may be pushed inwardly (of the container  10 ) from the transitional position to the middle stacking position. The pin  32  moves inwardly in the pin opening  30 . In the middle stacking position, the support portion  19  is supported on middle rest  40 . Again, precise movement is not required. A concave guide surface  48  formed on the inner wall portion  23  between the upper rest  38  and the middle rest  40  will be contacted by the support portion  19  of the bail member  18  and will guide the support portion  19  into the middle rest  40  as long as the movement of the support portion  19  is substantially inward of the container  10 , generally parallel to the floor  12 . 
     While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. There are different designs of containers that would benefit from the present invention.