US3378161A - Collapsible stacking receptacle - Google Patents

Description

A ril 16, 1968 c. E. LOOKABAUGH 3,378,161

COLLAPSIBLE STACKING RECEPTACLE Filed Jan. 10, 1966 CLA/R E. LOOKABAUGH United States Patent 3,378,161 COLLAPSIBLE STACKING RECEPTACLE Clair E. Lookabaugh, Sed Mannheim, 139 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, Calif. 90012 Filed Jan. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 519,543 7 Claims. (CI. 220-6) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE My invention is directed toward improvements in collapsible stacking structures.

It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved stacking structure formed entirely of wire or light weight rod in the form of a mesh which can be easily and compactly collapsed and easily erected and which when erected can support a substantial load.

Another object is to provide new and improved stacking structures which when erected and stacked one above the other detachably interlock to form a strong rigid construction capable of withstanding heavy loads.

Still another object is to provide new and improved stacking structures of the character indicated which are inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of my invention will now be explained with reference both to this specification and to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible stacking structure in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the structure of FIG. 1 partially collapsed and with a cut away portion of a second such structure stacked thereon;

FIG. 3 is a view through 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the structure of FIG. 1 in collapsed position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, my structure has oppositely disposed vertical end walls identified generally as A-A, each end wall comprising upper and lower horizontal elongated members and 12 with vertical spaced apart members 14 extending transversely therebetween and welded thereto at opposite ends.

My structure further comprises oppositely disposed vertical side walls extending transversely of the end walls and identified generally as B--B. Each side wall comprises first and second vertical end members 16, each end member 16 at its upper and lower end extending slidably between closed loops 18 at the adjacent corresponding ends of members 10 and 12 of the end walls. The closed loops 18 are at the ends of short end portions 19* of the members 10 and 12 that project outwardly at right angles to the planes of the end walls. The bottom ends of each pair of members 16 are rigidly secured to or integral with a lower horizontally extending member 20 having inwardly offset and upwardly extending lugs 22. The top ends of each pair of members 16 of a side wall are secured to or integral with an upper horizontally extending member 24. Vertical members 26 intermediate and end members 16 extend transversely between members 20 and 24, the top ends of each adjacent pair of members 3,378,161 Patented Apr. 16, 1968 26 terminating in an inwardly oiiset and upwardly extending lug 28, lugs 28 being less inwardly offset than lugs 22.

My structure further comprises first and second bottom half sections identified generally as CC. Each half section has first and second parallel elongated horizontal members 30 and 32 extending transversely between side walls BB, each member 30 being hingedly secured at 34 to the adjacent lower horizontal member 12 to the adjacent end wall, members 30 and 32 being joined to or integral with horizontal end members 36 extending perpendicularly thereto. Intermediate horizontal spaced apart members 38 extend between and are secured to members 30 and 32 of each half section and are looped around member 32.

In use, to erect the structure, sections CC are swung into horizontal position and are held in place by lugs 22, with the side walls and end walls vertically erect and extending at right angles to each other (FIG. I). To collapse the structure, each section C is first lifted oil lugs 22 and swung into a vertical position (FIG. 2) whereby the side and end walls can be folded into positions almost parallel to each other for collapsed storage and the like (FIG. 4).

An important advantage is realized from the arrangement by which the closed loops 18 are positioned at the ends of the short projections 19 of the end walls. When the bottom half sections CC, which are connected to the base members 12 of the end walls, are pivoted upwardly as indicated in phantom in FIGURE 2, they become positioned closely adjacent the end walls A-A and inwardly of the hinge points formed by the loops 18. This locates the bottom walls CC inwardly of the pivotal connections between the side and end walls. As a result, when the structure is collapsed to the position of FIGURE 4, the bottom half sections CC do not interfere with the pivotal movement of the side and end walls. In other words, as can be seen in FIGURE 4, the projections 19 result in recesses 0r pockets that receive the bottom sections CC, so that as the container is collapsed the side walls B-B can be broughtinto a position of adjacency. In the absence of this arrangement, the bottom sections would be positioned so as to overlap the side walls beyond the pivot points and would block complete collapse of the container by obstructing the movement of the side walls B-B.

In the stacking action wherein one such structure is stacked vertically upon another lower structure as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper lugs 28 of the lower structure extend upwardly between the lower horizontal members 20 and 36 of the upper structure for firm support. As previously statedall members are formed of wire or light weight metal rod.

While I have described my invention with particular attention to the embodiment shown in the drawings, my protection is to be limited only by the terms of the claims which follow.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A collapsible structure comprising a pair of opposed first walls,

a pair of opposed second walls,

hinge means interconnecting said first and second walls,

said hinge means connecting at least one of said second walls to said first walls and being disposed outwardly of said one second wall,

at least one third wall,

and means pivotally connecting said third wall to said one second wall at a location closer thereto than said hinge means of said one second wall,

whereby said third wall is pivotal to a position alongside said one second wall inwardly of said hinge means of said one second wall for permiting said first and second walls to be pivoted about said hinge means to assume a substantially flat position. 2. A collapsible container comprising a pair of opposed first walls, a pair of opposed second walls, hinge means interconnecting said first and second walls, said hinge means projecting toward said first walls from said second walls for providing pivot points outwardly of said second walls, a pair of third walls, and means pivotally connecting one of said third walls to each of said second walls inwardly of said hinge means,

whereby each of said third Walls is pivotal to a position adjacent one of said second walls inwardly of said hinge means thereby permitting relative pivotal movement of said first and second walls to collapse said container and bring said first and second walls to a position of substantial parallelism. 3. A collapsible container comprising a pair of first opposed walls having top and bottom portions interconnected by end portions, a pair of second opposed walls having top and bottom portions interconnected by end portions, hinge means interconnecting said end portions of said second walls to said end portions of said first walls, said hinge means including means projecting from said end portions of said second walls toward said end portions of said first walls and providing pivot points therewith beyond said second walls, a pair of third walls, and means pivotally connecting said third walls to said bottom portions of said second walls inwardly of said pivot points of said hinge means,

whereby said third walls are pivotal to a position of adjacency with said second walls and inwardly of said pivot points of said hinge means, whereby said first and second walls are made pivotal relative to each other without interference from said third walls. 4. A collapsible container comprising a pair of opposed side walls, a pair of opposed end walls,

said end walls having top and bottom rails, said rails including portions projecting outwardly from said end walls toward said side walls and pivotally engaging said side walls at locations spaced from said end walls, a pair of bottom walls, and means pivotally connecting said bottom walls to said bottom rails of said end walls inwardly of said locations where said projecting portions of said rails pivotally engage said side walls for permitting pivotal movement of said bottom walls relative to said end walls to a position in which said bottom walls overlie said walls and are in close proximity therewith and are inwardly of said locations for thereby permitting relative pivotal movement of said side and end walls without interference from said bottom walls for collapsing said container,

said side walls and said bottom walls having portions normally in interengagement for supporting said bottom walls in positions projecting outwardly from said end walls and intermediate the lower portions of said side walls.

5. A device as recited in claim 4 in which each of said side walls includes at either end thereof an elongated member extending from the top to the bottom thereof, said projecting portions of said rails of said end walls being looped around said elongated members for providing said pivotal engagement with said side walls.

6. A device as recited in claim 4 in which said side walls along the lower edges thereof include elements extending laterally inwardly and upwardly,

each of said elements defining a surface engageable by said bottom wall for providing said support of said bottom wall, and defining further a receptacle means, said side walls on the upper edges having upward projections adapted to fit within said receptacle means of an adjacent one of said containers when said containers are arranged in a superimposed relationship.

7. A device as recited in claim 4 in which each of said side walls includes a lower elongated member,

said elongated member including a duality of generally U-shaped portions extending laterally inwardly and upwardly at the inward part thereof, each of said bottom walls having an elongated member on either side thereof normally engaging said generally U-shaped portion adjacent said upwardly extending part for thereby supporting said bottom walls,

each of said side walls including a duality of upwardly projecting elements along its upper portion positioned to enter said generally U-shaped portions alongside said elongated members of said bottom walls of an adjacent one of said containers superimposed thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,660,328 11/1953 Auerill 220-6 2,865,527 12/1958 Bloomquist 220-97 X 3,072,281 1/1963 Reilly 220-19 X FOREIGN PATENTS 166,408 8/ 1920 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner.

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