Abstract: A crate for storing and transporting cartons having a crate floor and four sidewalls integrally attached to the crate floor extending upward from the floor forming an interior of the crate. The cartons have a plurality of pressure points on the exterior bottom surface of the carton. The crate floor has a plurality of recesses whereby a recess is subjacent each pressure point on the carton despite the position of a carton within the crate. In addition, a recess is subjacent each pressure point wherein each carton within a crate has the same volumetric size and the volumetric size is selected from a plurality of volumetric sizes.

Abstract: A stackable case for retaining and transporting bottles includes outer side walls forming an outer shell, a case bottom disposed substantially within the outer shell, and a plurality of supports for supporting the outer surfaces of the bottles. The side walls include a lower wall portion and a plurality of spaced upwardly projecting pylons, where four corner pylons define the four corners of the case. At least one upwardly projecting column is generally disposed within the outer shell, and defines, in combination with the case bottom, the side walls and the end walls, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets. The columns and the pylons extend above the lower wall portions and below a top surface of the retained bottles. The end walls each include an integrally molded handle structure suspended between an upper portion of adjacent corner pylons to thereby define a generally open end wall area below the handle structure.

Abstract: A lidded container for lobsters or like crustacean comprises a container formed of plastics material having sidewalls, endwalls and a bottom wall and a lid formed of plastics material which is adapted to be hingedly secured to the container sidewalls to move between an open position and a close position. The lid has a top wall formed of a series of upwardly projecting ribs defining wells to receive and retain therein ice which, when melted, passes through perforations in the bottom faces of the wells to circulate about the lobsters. The water then exits through apertures in the sidewalls, endwalls and bottom wall of the container.

Abstract: A low depth, nestable display crate for bottles is integrally molded from plastic and comprises two basic components--a floor and a wall structure extending up from the floor and extending around the periphery of the floor. The floor has bottle support areas. The wall structure comprises a lower wall portion adjacent the floor and a plurality of integrally formed pylons arranged along the sidewalls of the wall structure. The endwalls of the wall structure comprise extended handles which may be grasped in either a palm-up or palm-down orientation and allow for minimum crate dimensions. The handles are configured so as to provide sufficient clearance for a user's hands to grasp the handles. The extended configuration also provides for easy lifting as the handle bars are located well above the center of gravity of the crate for easy lifting.

Abstract: The positioning compartments of a bottle crate are divided in a transverse direction by transverse dividing elements which include supporting projections with hollows halfway up, and dividing tongues which project downwards in an elastically deformable manner below them. Arranged opposite the supporting projections, on an outer wall, are supporting fingers. If the bottle crate is placed on one of the outer walls while containing bottles, each lower bottle tilts about a support formed by the supporting fingers, the bottom of the bottle being displaced in the process against the respective outer wall, and each upper bottle is likewise tilted, about a support formed by the hollows, into a position in which it is secured against sliding out of the respective positioning compartment, this tilting movement involving deformation of the respective dividing tongue. Each dividing tongue is located between the respective bottles at all times and prevents them from banging against one another.

Abstract: A box-shaped container is described which comprises flat straps spaced beneath the base of the container. These flat straps extend along the base edge and are abutted against the base by stiffening ribs. The base structure contains pocket-like free spaces formed by the base bottom side, the flat strap top side and the stiffening ribs oriented transversely thereto, which free-spaces are open on the sides of the base edge. A bend-through of the container base is to be securely countered by simple means if high weighted commodities are loaded into the container. Stiffening ribs comprise passages in the region of the individual pocket-like free spaces, which are followed by channels which open towards the bottom. Neck-like molded knobs are provided in the channels at the bottom side of the container base. Stiffening sections can be slid into the channels and fastened to the knobs.

Abstract: A carrier tray for deformable beverage containers prevents doming of the underside of beverage cans and abrasion of adjacent cans during transport. The base of the carrier includes upwardly projecting members (62, 63) which are taped to conform to the shape of the underside of the containers. An additional feature of the upwardly projecting members is the retention of the cans in a vertical position.

Abstract: Individual beverage containers 16 are transported by conveyor track 14A to conveyor track 14B, along which they are advanced by parallel chains 34 and 36 carrying flight bars 44. Trays 26 to receive containers 16 are advanced by an inclined conveyor track 24B having projections 30 to engage the trays. A plurality of support members 130 are disposed at the downstream end of track 14B to introduce the containers into the trays. Special trays are used having a plurality of structural members on their inner wall surfaces to define recessed regions between the structural members into which the curved surfaces of the containers fit so that they are held upright.

Abstract: A bottle tote for temporary storage and transport of empty beverage containers includes a planar base with four upright members extending fixedly therefrom to free ends lying in a common plane. The upright members support a plurality of track structures, each adapted to receive an open-topped tray having dividers for holding the containers. A foldable and adjustable handle structure is attached to the uppermost track, and a plurality of rod-like members are selectively engageable with the free ends of the upright members to permit vertical stacking of two totes of the same design.

Abstract: A tray for storing and transporting a plurality of cylindrically-shaped articles, such as beverage containers, in a stable, upright position is provided. The tray is comprised of a bottom member and four walls extending upwardly therefrom and interconnected to form an enclosure for receiving the articles. A plurality of rib members are disposed on respective inner surfaces of the walls of the tray. Selected ones are arranged in cooperating pairs to define respective recessed regions therebetween. Each of the cooperating pairs of rib members contacts a corresponding one of the articles at respective positions on the curved surfaces thereof so that a predetermined portion of each article is received within the corresponding recessed region and at least a portion of the curved surface of the article is in contact with the corresponding wall within the recessed region, thereby retaining the articles in a substantially upright position within the tray.

Abstract: A folding crate comprising a rectangular upper frame, two end walls, two upper side webs, two lower side webs, and a base panel. The upper side webs are foldable with respect to the upper frame and the lower side webs are foldable with respect to the base panel by forming a plurality of tubular lappings on the connecting face. Each pair of juxtaposed lappings is engaged together by a pin member. Characterized in that a distress sign having divided into two halves is combined with one of the upper and lower side webs in a manner which does not affect the folding of the crate.

Abstract: A tray for storing and transporting a plurality of cylindrically-shaped articles, such as beverage containers, in a stable, upright position is provided. The tray is comprised of a bottom member and four walls extending upwardly therefrom and interconnected to form an enclosure for receiving the articles. Each of the four walls has cooperating pairs of structural members extending inwardly therefrom to define respective recessed regions therebetween. Each of the cooperating pairs of structural members contacts a corresponding one of the articles at respective positions on the curved surfaces thereof so that a predetermined portion of each article is received within the corresponding recessed region and a portion of the curved surface of the article is in contact with the corresponding wall within the recessed region.

Abstract: A beverage case is provided with two longitudinal and two lateral sides formed with enlarged central openings that will not serve to contain or confine articles smaller then milk cartons or beverage bottles. Further, the beverage case of the invention is provided with a reinforcing rib structure to react the forces imposed on the beverage case generally and in particular, the forces that, to an extent, have been previously reacted by full sides.

Abstract: A bottle and carrier assembly adapted to facilitate the recycling of polyester resin bottles is disclosed. The assembly comprises a reusable bottle carrier having a side wall and a bottom surface, and a recyclable polyester resin bottle. The bottle has an upper neck portion, an elongate body portion, and a rounded bottom portion which prevents the bottle from standing upright when placed on a level surface. The bottle is removably disposed within the bottle carrier in an upright configuration, with the side walls of the bottle carrier overlying a major part of the bottle elongate body portion. The side walls of the bottle carrier and the elongate body portion of the bottle have interengaging portions for maintaining the upright configuration of the bottle. The rounded bottom portion of the bottle serves to discourage the removal, by a consumer, of the recyclyable bottle from the reusuable bottle carrier.

Abstract: A bottle crate has an upper part which is upwardly open and a lower part receivable in an upper part of an identical subjacent crate and having a single, lower-most, relatively-smooth floor. Separating posts extend upwardly from the floor to provide upwardly opening primary sockets in which lower portions of bottles are receivable. Each primary socket has a seat on which a lower part of a bottle received in the primary socket is supportable. The crate also has downwardly opening secondary sockets within which neck portions of bottles in a subjacent crate are receivable in use.

Abstract: The adjacent edges for two covers of a tote box have interlocking fingers where separation is resisted by means of hooks on one or more of the covers engaging side flanges of the box to lock the covers in place. The closed covers present a flat surface inset with respect to a plurality of abutments in the vicinity of the sides and ends that prevent side shifting of a like box stacked on top of it. The side abutments have a second function of latching into the end walls to hold the covers in their open position, even when a plurality of like boxes are nested. The latches and locks are unitarily molded into the cover and provided with cam surfaces that together with inherent resiliency of the structure provide for locking and latching by movement of the cover.

Abstract: A unitary molded citrus crate ideally suited for the storage and transport of citrus is disclosed. The citrus crate is specifically configured to provide a combination of flat and convex surfaces in the internal fruit holding portion to prevent damage to the fruit therein to the maximum extent possible. A center divider is provided to prevent separation of the side walls of the crate, the center divider having sufficient height so no more than one fruit such as a lemon or the like may rest thereon, thereby preventing sufficient force between the fruit and the top of the divider to damage the fruit because of the weight of the fruit stacked thereon. Horizontal openings in the side and end wall provide ease of handling of the crate, the openings being of limited height adequate to provide convenient hand grasps yet sufficiently limited to prevent damage to the fruit. The crates are stackable in an interlocking stack to prevent tipping thereof. Various other features of the invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved tote box especially adapted for use within an automated storage and retrieval system is provided with a bumper rim a short distance from the tote bottom to reduce the moment arm created when the box engages another box or the like. Stacking stops are integrated with the bumper rim to provide additional strength, and the stops circumscribe side drains to allow fluid to be drained without flowing into a lower box in a stack. A divider grid is provided and includes intersecting crosswise and lengthwise divider plates, each Z-shaped and each having mounting slots in one edge and notches in the other. When the plates are mated by seating the slot of a lengthwise plate in the slot of a crosswise plate, the opposing bosses at the mouth of each slot of each plate seat in the notch of an intersecting plate. Tabs on each end of each plate seat in slots in the tote box walls and a ramp overlying the notch restrains the divider plate tab to secure the grid in the tote box.

Abstract: A carrying case is described which has upstanding hollow walls comprising outer and inner walls interconnected by laterally spaced ribs. Portions of the inner wall are cut away to form openings which expose the interior of the hollow walls to facilitate their cleaning.

Abstract: Plastic stackable crates for transportation and storage of goods, e.g. packages containing fluids and the like, and particularly for milk carton containers, comprising main and bottom portions, the former with front, rear and side walls that are open to the bottom, while the bottom portion is of the grating type, detachable and pivotable, allowing to be turned upwards and left in the upturned position so that the goods can be taken out through the tops of the empty upper crates when several of them are stacked up. Apertures on the front and/or rear walls of the crates, when stacked up, make a combined, almost full-height aperture which also allows the goods to be taken out sideways from the stacked crates.

Abstract: A container having side walls mounted on a bottom panel for swinging movement between an upright position and an inclined position. Latch members movably mounted near the upper end of each side wall co-operate with the latch members of the adjoining walls normally to retain the latter walls in the upright position. Latch means in each side wall releasably interconnect the latch members of each side wall and is operable to release these latch members to allow the adjoining walls to move towards the inclined positions. Spring means to swing the side walls to the inclined positions when said walls are released.

Abstract: A case for the transportation and storage of bottles, boxes and like articles having an open side and top, a unit defining cells for the reception of the stored articles, the unit being located for sliding movement within the case between a lower and upper position so as to permit easy removal of the stored articles through the open side as the unit is moved vertically upwardly.