Abstract: Invalids have difficulty sipping water from pitchers and glasses through ordinary straws because of the effort required to lift water through a straw or tube and the fact that upon cessation of sucking the water in the tube runs back into the pitcher or glass. A flap-type check valve is placed in the lower end of the tube. Little effort is required to open the valve. The weight of the water maintains it closed.

Abstract: A knock-down container or bin of the type used to transport fruits and vegetables from the field to produce processing and packing plants is molded of plastic and consists of four identical sides and a bottom. When erected, the containers may be stacked. When detached, the sides nest, preferably with the bottom, for transportation and storage. The bottom is square and is flat on top and formed with reticulated reinforcing ribs on the bottom; on each edge is a projecting lip section. Each side has reinforcing ribs on its exterior. The bottom edge of each side is thickened and has spaced projections with a groove above the projections into which fits the projecting lip of one edge of the bottom. At each end of the side is a post, one post being formed with a rabbet and also carrying three vertically spaced fastener elements. The other post is shaped to fill the rabbet and has sockets to receive the fastener elements.