Abstract: A collapsible container formed of flexible plastic has complimentary parallel side wall members hingedly connected at their ends by complimentary end walls members and hingedly carrying complimentary bottom panels which fold down to rest upon ledges on the side wall members and end wall members. Diagonally opposed corner portions of the side wall members space the hinge axes of the end wall members away from the side wall members so that, when collapsed, an end wall member and a side wall member are coplanar and in spaced parallel adjacent relationship to the other end wall member and side wall member to sandwich the foled up bottom panels, therebetween.The length of each side wall member is generally twice the effective length of an end wall member to provide a container which is modular for locking together with other such containers, when stacked in alignment or cross-tied. Most of the hinge pins are integrally formed with the wall members and panels to snap into place.

Abstract: A container loading machine which includes a frame through which a cross feed conveyor feeds successive open crates, containers or receptacles so as to position the open containers successively in the machine for receiving a plurality of layers of articles, such as egg cartons, therein, and for conveying each loaded container away from the machine. The machine includes a plurality of upstanding carton receiving rods, the ends of which project upwardly through the bottom of the container within the loading zone of the machine so that the upper ends stop adjacent the open top of the container in a position to receive the first layer of accumulated egg cartons from a storage zone, thereabove. An infeed carton conveyor, which includes a pair of spaced, flexible, opposed, endless belts, carry successive egg cartons to the storage zone.