Patent ID: 8668133

Claim:
A bulk shipping container capable of being used to transport goods into a building or other facility without requiring the use of pallets or specialized handling equipment, the container comprising: opposite side walls, opposite end walls, a bottom wall, and a top closed by top closing means, wherein the opposite side walls, the opposite end walls, the bottom wall, and the top closing means are foldably joined to one another to form an interior space, said side walls and said end walls defining a plurality of interior corners, inwardly folded guide tabs formed in each said corner of the container near its top, and said bottom wall having an opening therethrough in each said corner; removable supporting leg in each said corner, said supporting legs slidably extended through a respective said guide tab and a respective said opening in said bottom wall, said supporting legs each having a length greater than the height of the container and having a lower end extending downwardly through a respective said opening in said bottom wall, said lower ends of said supporting legs projecting a predetermined distance beyond the bottom wall to support the container in an elevated position above a floor so that a dolly or other transport vehicle can be positioned beneath the container between the downwardly extending supporting legs, upper ends of the supporting legs being substantially coplanar with the top of the container and engaged against said top closing means to hold the container in said elevated position, wherein the supporting legs are held in their downwardly extended positions by the top closing means, and wherein the container automatically slides down along the supporting legs to a lowered position when the top closing means is opened.