U.S. patent number 3,883,026 [Application Number 05/353,398] was granted by the patent office on 1975-05-13 for collapsible wall container.
Invention is credited to John C. Selz.
United States Patent |
3,883,026 |
Selz |
May 13, 1975 |
Collapsible wall container
Abstract
A collapsible walled container is disclosed. The container
comprises a rectangular floor having supports connected to each
corner for removably receiving upright posts therein. A lower,
first edge of a chain-link wall member is attached along the length
of each side of the rectangular floor. A horizontal support bar
extends along an upper second edge of the chain-link wall. Catch
means are connected to opposite ends of the horizontal bar for
removable registry with a locking and supporting flange connected
to an upper end of each upright post.
Inventors: |
Selz; John C. (Toledo, OH) |
Family
ID: |
23388919 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/353,398 |
Filed: |
April 23, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/6; 220/1.5;
220/485 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
19/12 (20130101); B65D 7/24 (20130101); B65D
2519/00323 (20130101); B65D 2519/0097 (20130101); B65D
2519/00164 (20130101); B65D 2519/00676 (20130101); B65D
2519/00606 (20130101); B65D 2519/00024 (20130101); B65D
2519/00273 (20130101); B65D 2519/00656 (20130101); B65D
2519/00233 (20130101); B65D 2519/00293 (20130101); B65D
2519/00338 (20130101); B65D 2519/00059 (20130101); B65D
2519/00512 (20130101); B65D 2519/00298 (20130101); B65D
2519/009 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
19/12 (20060101); B65D 19/02 (20060101); B65d
007/24 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/6,1.5,7,19,4,79,83,84 ;211/175,176 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Price; William I.
Assistant Examiner: Pollard; Steven M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Owen & Owen Co.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A container comprising a floor, support members connected to
said floor, vertical posts removably received by said support
members, a resilient wall member having a first lower edge
connected adjacent a periphery of said floor, said wall member
being vertically stretchable from a first, non-stressed condition
to a second, stressed condition, catch means connected adjacent a
second upper edge of said wall members and means on each of said
posts for receiving said catch means only when said wall member is
stretched to the second stressed condition; whereby said wall
member urges said catch means within said receiving means to
resiliently lock said wall member in an upright position.
2. A container according to claim 1 wherein said resilient wall
member comprises wire of a non-self supporting open mesh.
3. A container according to claim 1 wherein said catch means
comprises a horizontal support nail connected adjacent said second
upper edge of said wall member and catch members on opposite ends
of said support bar for registry with said receiving means on said
support posts.
4. A container according to claim 1 wherein said receiving means
comprises a flange on an upper edge of each of said support posts,
said flange defining a notch therein for receiving said catch
means.
5. A container according to claim 1 wherein said support means
comprise vertically extending leg members connected adjacent the
periphery of said floor and having a lower extending portion for
supporting said container above ground level and an upper extending
portion above said floor, said upper extending portion defining a
hollow socket for receiving one of said support posts therein or
for receiving a complementary lower extending portion of a leg
member of a second like container for stacking said containers when
not in use.
6. A container comprising a floor, support members connected to
said floor, vertical posts removably received by said support
members, a resilient wall member having a first, lower edge
connected adjacent a periphery of said floor, catch means connected
adjacent a second upper edge of said wall member and flange means
on an upper edge of each of said posts, each flange means
comprising a notch defined by a relieved, cammed surface tapering
into said notch for receiving said catch means therein.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to portable, collapsible wall
containers for use in heavy-duty applications such as the storage
of heavy metal parts or scrap from a production operation. The
walls of the container are collapsible to facilitate storage when
not in use. Such containers must be portable, readily storable and
yet extremely durable.
Typical prior art collapsible wall containers often have a
reinforced steel floor and rigid reinforced side walls connected to
the floor by, for example, hinges. The walls of the prior art
containers are pivotal on the hinges from a vertical position to a
horizontal storage position onto the steel floor.
Because the side walls of these prior art containers are rigid and
must be folded over one another when placed in the storage
position, they are bulky and difficult to store when not in use.
Thus even when these containers are collapsed and stacked, they
take up valuable space. Furthermore, the rigid side walls and the
hinges are subject to damage through heavy use which often prevents
proper collapsing of the side walls.
The present invention provides a means for compactly collapsing the
walls of the container onto the rectangular floor. At the same time
when the walls are extended to their upright position, they are
strong and yet resilient enough to be capable of withstanding heavy
use including side impact loading.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises a collapsible walled container having a
floor and vertical legs on each corner of the floor. An upper
extending body section on each of the legs defines an open, axial
socket for removably receiving vertical support posts therein. An
open mesh, non-selfsupporting, resilient wall is connected to the
periphery of the floor and is extendible to a vertical upright
position. Opposing catch bolts are located adjacent an upper edge
of the wall member for receipt within opposing cammed receiving
members on each of the vertical support posts. The catch bolts are
placed within the cammed receiving members by vertically stretching
the upper edge of the wall member above the receiving members. The
stressed wall member urges the catch bolts within the receiving
members, thereby locking the wall member and support posts in a
stable, vertical upright position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible wall container of
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an end view of the collapsible wall container of the
present invention;
FIG. 3 is an end view of two containers of the present invention in
a collapsed condition and stacked one upon another for storage;
FIG. 4 is a top view of an unassembled collapsible wall container
of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a detail view of a corner support member of the container
of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a collapsible wall container 10 of the present
invention is shown. The container 10 comprises a rectangular floor
11 having opposing side frame members 12 connected at right angles
to opposing end frame members 13 to define the periphery of the
floor 11. Reinforcing members 14 are connected across the floor 11
to the side frame members 13 at intervals to provide strength and
rigidity to the floor member. An expanded metal grid 15 is
connected over the frame members 12 and 13 and the reinforcing
members 14 to provide a floor surface to the container 10. A fork
lift bracket 16 is connected to each of the two end frame members
13 to facilitate the use of the container 10 as a pallet in
conjunction with a fork lift truck.
Socket supports 17 are connected to each corner of the rectangular
floor 11. The socket supports 17 each include a leg 18 which
extends below the surface of the floor. Feet 19 are connected to
the legs 18 and support the container 10 above a floor surface.
Each socket support 17 further comprises a body portion 20 which
extends above the surface of the floor 11 to provide a means for
stacking several containers upon one-another as will be discussed
below. The body portion 20 and the leg portion 18 define a
continuous hollow socket 21. A floor plate 22 at the end of the
socket 21 mounts the foot 19.
A vertical support post 23, having an exterior dimension
complementary to the interior dimensions of the socket 21, is
received within each of the sockets 21 as shown in FIG. 1. A lower
end of the support post rests against the floor plate 22. The
complementary fit between the socket 21 and the support posts 23
provides a secure means of retaining the support posts in an
upright position without the use of bolts or like fasteners.
As is best shown in FIG. 5, flange members 24 are connected to the
support posts 23 and extend at right angles from the support posts
23 parallel to either the side frame member 12 or the end frame
member 13. The flange member 24 includes a tongue portion 25
extending from the support post 23 and defining a cammed notch 26
at its upper surface. The cammed notch 26 comprises a grooved
section G and a tapered relieved cam portion C to facilitate
collapsing the container 10 as will be discussed below. The flange
members 24 are located in vertically spaced pairs on each of the
support posts 23; first at an upper position U and second at an
intermediate position I for supporting walls 27 of the container as
will be explained below.
The walls 27 comprise a chain-link wire mesh which is flexible,
vertically collapsible resilient and non-selfsupporting. Each of
the four walls 27 is identically constructed and supported by the
structure which will be described below. The present description of
the wall structure will therefore be isolated to a description of
an end wall 28 as shown in FIG. 2.
The end wall 28 is connected to the end frame member 13 by means of
a retaining rib 29 which extends through a lowermost portion of the
mesh of the wall 28 and is welded to the end frame 13 at studs 30.
An opposite, upper-most portion of the end wall 28 is connected to
an upper support rail 31 by means of a second retaining rib 29 and
studs 30. Lock bolts 32 are connected at opposite ends of the
support rail 31 for receipt within the cammed notch 26. An
intermediate support rail 33 is connected at a vertical,
mid-portion of the wall 28 by fasteners 34 and is located for
engagement of a second set of lock bolts 32, on the intermediate
rail 33 within the cammed notch 26 of the flanged members 24 in the
intermediate position I on the support posts 23.
In order to erect the chain-link end wall 38, [or any of the
remaining walls 27, as their structure is identical] the support
rail 31 is grasped and raised until the lock bolts 32 register with
the cammed notches 26 in the flange members 25. The relieved cam
portion C of the cammed notch 26 initially receives the lock bolt
32. The taper of the cam portion C toward the groove portion G
causes the lock bolt to slide into registry in the cammed notch 26.
The lock bolts 32 on the intermediate support rail 33 are similarly
brought into registry with the respective cammed notches 26 on the
flange members 24 located at the intermediate level I.
The vertical height of the wall 28 in a non-stretched condition is
slightly "undersized" so that the lock bolt 32 on the upper support
rail 31 cannot be brought into position without stretching the
chain-link mesh above the level of the flange members 24, at the
upper level U on the support posts 23, and lowering the lock bolts
32 into position against the relieved cammed portion C. The
stretched chain-link wall tends to urge the support rail 31
downwardly toward the non-stressed position of the wall 28. As the
stressed chain-link wall 38 urges the upper support rail in a
downward direction, the lock bolt 32 slides into registry in the
notch 26 to securely hold and lock the lock bolts 32 in their
respective notches 26. In this manner the chain-link wall 28 acts
as a spring to retain the upper support rail 31 in position and
thus hold the end wall 28 in an upright position. Furthermore, the
thus supported vertical wall 28 urges and locks the support posts
23 within the respective hollow sockets 21, thus rendering the wall
a solid integrated structure which will not collapse under heavy
use.
The intermediate support rail 33 is connected at a position on the
wall 28 to permit engagement of the respective lock bolts 32
thereon with their cammed notches 26 only by flexing the chain-link
wall above the flanged members at the intermediate position I on
the support posts 23. The intermediate support rail 33 is engaged
with the cammed notches 26 in the same manner as is the upper
support rail 31. The chain-link wall 28 therefore springs and locks
both support rails 31 and 33 in place and the rails 31 and in turn
suspend the wall 28 in an upright position.
When all four walls are thus erected the container is securely
connected to the support posts 23. On the other hand, if it is
desired to partially lower one or several of the walls 27 (See FIG.
1), the upper support rail can be disengaged from the cammed
notches 26 and an upper portion of the disengaged wall 27 dropped
to the level of the intermediate support rail 33 which is still
connected to the support post 23. In this manner, the container
provides a wall which can be lowered or raised to varying heights
for use, for example, as a parts storage bin.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the container 10 can be completely
collapsed for storage by disengaging all of the support rails 31
and 33 from the cammed notches 26, removing the support posts 23
from their respective socket supports 17, placing the support posts
23 on the floor, and folding the chain-link walls 27 over the floor
11.
A second, like container 10 can then be stacked upon the first
container 10 by engaging each of the lower leg portions 18 of the
socket support 17 in the second container within the respective
hollow sockets 21 of the first container 10 as is shown in FIG. 3.
The body portions 20 of the socket support 17 extend above the
floor 11 of the container 10 a sufficient distance to permit
clearance by the fork lift bracket 16 of the folded walls 27 and
the support posts 23 folded within the first container 10.
The invention thus provides a means of compactly stacking and
storing extremely strong and resilient container structure which
can be easily erected and used. It can be appreciated that the
present invention of a resilient chain-link wall member in
conjunction with a collapsible container as described is not
restricted to any single number of support posts or to the shape
per se of the container. Therefore any embodiments of the invention
having varying numbers of support posts or shapes are intended to
fall within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
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