Abstract: A container body made of thermoplastic materials, after being filled with a hot liquid, is then sealed by a flat closure disc adhesively contacting a peripheral lip formed around the top of the body. The bottom of the container body is formed with annular grooves to define a diaphragm which flexes inwardly with the closure disc upon cooling of the hot filled liquid to substantially dissipate the high internal vacuum which is formed in the container head space. The bottom of the container body has a reinforced pedestal base formed with stacking ledges to facilitate nesting of empty bodies for shipment and storage.

Abstract: A heat-radiating cover for food dishes includes an outer shell joined at its periphery to the periphery of an inner shell having a shape complentary to and fitting within the outer shell and, mounted atop the outer shell and in the space between the outer and inner shells, a heat sink for absorbing radiating heat through the inner shell to the space beneath it, with the balance of the space between the inner and outer shells filled with insulation.

Abstract: A container for door panels or other articles includes a sling divider having transverse support rods equally spaced along a flexible web. The ends of the rods are received in vertically staggered pairs of side wall pockets so that web sections form slings of different depths relative to the top of the container and thus allow the laterally projecting portions of the articles to deform the web and overlap to accommodate more articles in a container of given length. In the preferred embodiment, the container is rectangular with longer side and shorter end walls, and is nestable with nesting stops that establish a nesting space between the bottom walls of two nested containers, and the support rods are long enough to extend between the side walls but are shorter than the distance between the end walls so the sling divider can be removed, turned, and stored in the nesting space.

Abstract: A receptacle for holding a beverage container such as a beer keg while the exterior of the container is being subjected to a cold liquid is disclosed. In one embodiment, there is a plastic housing which is formed with a generally cup-shaped internal cavity, the cavity having a bottom cavity wall and cavity sidewalls. The housing is also formed with an opening for allowing the container and the cold liquid to be inserted in and removed from the cavity. A plurality of ribs are positioned in the cavity that have an inner centering edge which is spaced radially inward from the cavity sidewalls. The inner edges are suitable to hold the container away from the sidewalls when the container is inserted in the cavity and positioned radially inward of the inner edge. In another preferred form, there is also provided a platform positioned in the cavity and affixed to the bottom wall.

Abstract: Insert means for forming a void in poured concrete comprises a tubular structure formed of sheet material closed at upper and lower ends by means of an upper closure element and a lower closure element, respectively. The inner surface of the tubular structure presents a helical line of scoring extending between the bottom of the tubular structure and the upper closure element. The upper closure element is formed integrally with the tubular sheet material and constructed at an upper side thereof with holder tab means for handling the insert means and especially for lifting the upper closure element and the pulling away of the tubular structure along the line of scoring to leave a void. The tubular structure is characterized by a tapered configuration which decreases in size from the bottom to the top thereof.

Abstract: A nesting drum and a method of making the same is provided. The drum comprises a shell which has a necking at the bottom to accommodate a double seam between the shell and the closure. The closure has a raised circular center and a plurality of ribs which re-enforce the shell to resist large loads.

Abstract: A protective liner for vessels such as cooking pans, which have interior surfaces either natural or covered with thin, nonstick coatings. The liner protects the interior surfaces from damage during manufacturing, packing, shipping, unpacking and display by covering the surfaces. The liner also prevents vessels from binding together when they are nested, by spacing the vessels to prevent tight insertion of one vessel within another. The liner is made of a thin flexible material. Its edge section grasps the rim of the vessel to be protected, while its bottom web section and spacer web section substantially cover the interior surfaces of the vessel.

Abstract: A container of generally truncated prismatic form and adapted to hold potable liquids and other foodstuffs. The container is fashioned from a single piece of paperboard coated with a layer of polyethylene on at least one surface and preferably both surfaces. The container is tapered and is closed at its bottom. Prior to filling and subsequent use of the container, the containers may be nested, whereby a single container may be iteratively removed from the nested stack for use. The container is provided with a top sealing, denesting flap which is tacked at spaced portions therealong to define a skirt having bulged segments.

Abstract: A container comprises an open-mouthed receptacle and a lid. The receptacle has side walls and a base, and is formed with an outwardling-extending rim which surrounds the open mouth of the receptacle. The receptacle is formed by vacuum moulding a sheet of plastics material whose external dimensions correspond to the external dimensions of the rim. The ratio of the thickness of the rim to that of the rest of the receptacle is at least 4.5:1.

Abstract: An elongated beam is constructed from a sheet metal panel and has upper and lower flange sections integrally connected by a web section. The web section has upper and lower inclined web portions which project in opposite directions from a vertical intermediate web portion and cooperate to provide the beam with a generally Z-shaped cross-sectional configuration to facilitate stacking of a plurality of beams in interfitting nested relation. The upper and lower flange sections are stiffened by members which may be longitudinally extending sheet metal strips or longitudinally spaced stiffening elements, and the upper and lower flange sections and adjacent portions of the web section are formed slightly different in size to permit interfitting of mating overlapping end portions of two longitudinally aligned beams after one beam is inverted relative to the other.

Abstract: Containers, particlarly for food material such as margarine, are provided with fillets between the wall of the cup portion and the pedestal base portion to resist lidding forces. The containers are especially made from plastic film by thermoforming.

Abstract: A receptacle for the storage and transportation of cut flowers. The receptacle has a substantially rectangular horizontal cross section, is manufactured of synthetic material, is provided with handgrips, and is double-walled in such a way as to be composed of an external container which is in the form of a truncated right pyramid facing upwards, and of an internal container which is provided with a substantially horizontal bottom and has the form of a truncated right pyramid facing downwards, the wall of the external container and that of the internal container being connected along the upper edge of the receptacle in such a way that the vertical section through both walls has substantially the form of an inverted "V", each leg of the "V" being inclined at an angle of at least 2.degree. to the vertical; the various parts of the receptacle are mutually dimensioned in such a way that a number of receptacles can be compactly stacked to form a nest.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with a novel shape of compartmentalized wastebasket and the like utilizing inverted V-shaped separator walls and rather critically dimensioned to enable not only adequate post molding cooling for immediate stacking, but very close stacking for efficient storage despite relatively thick walls, and with ready adaptability for simultaneous multiple compartment use with conventional disposable paper and plastic bag inserts are the like that may be peripherally folded over the compartment top edges to keep them open during filling.

Abstract: A shrimp bait container is disclosed which includes a plurality of stacked trays, with each tray storing live shrimp bait in a water medium. Each tray is substantially a frusto-pyramidal shaped housing having four sides and a bottom, composed of a relatively thick, thermally insulating material. The sides extend upwardly and outwardly from the bottom and are inclined so that the outer surfaces thereof for an upper one of the trays will mate with the inner surfaces thereof for an adjacent, lower one of the trays, forming an enclosed volume for storing the water medium containing the shrimp bait. The bottom of each tray has a perforation therethrough. An adjustable water depth controlling pipe is slideably mounted in substantial vertical orientation in the perforation in the bottom of each housing, having a height above the bottom which can be vertically adjusted and through which water within the enclosed volume may overflow, thus defining the depth of the water.

Abstract: A lid for containers, usually beverage cups which may be for hot beverages or cold beverages, is provided, having a cavity adapted for seating against the bead of the container. A skirt extends downwardly from the cavity, having a number of outwardly extending projections formed in it, each of the projections having a substantially rectangular appearance with a vertical face and vertical side walls. The portions of the skirt between the outwardly extending projections extend inwardly to form a discontinued waist having an undercut which defines the cavity in the waist portion; the cavity being defined by a higher and less inwardly extending undercut over the top portion of each of the outwardly extending projections. Beneath the projections and the waist portions between them there extends outwardly and downwardly a lower band portion; below which may be a vertically extending wall, and which may have an outwardly turned lip at its bottom.

Abstract: A step-wall nestable cup provided with off-set thin sidewall portions which overlap to define an annular intermediate thickened wall portion which strengthens the cup while permitting the use of relatively thinner wall portions thereabove and therebelow. The use of off-set overlapping thin wall sidewall portions also permits the use of a lower density plastic material without increasing the stack height of the nesting cups while resulting in significant material and/or shipping cost savings without sacrificing overall sidewall strength of the resultant nestable cup or container.A modified step-wall nestable cup is provided with multiple off-set thin sidewall portions which respectively overlap to provide a plurality of annular thickened sidewall portions in the sidewall thereof.

Abstract: A container, which is adapted for nesting together with similar containers during transport and storage thereof, comprising an exterior surface which bears printed indicia. The printed indicia is carried on one or more portions of the container that have been formed so that surfaces of such printed portions lie in a plane below the plane of the surrounding surface area. Thermoplastic foam egg cartons such as polystyrene cartons are especially suitable as containers constructed in accord with the invention.

Abstract: A material handling tote adapted for multiple storage and handling techniques. The tote includes a bottom, side and end walls and a substantially continuous multi-purpose flange at the upper edge of the side and end walls. The multi-purpose flange is constructed and arranged to releasably retain a lid, provide for stackability, include carrying grips and facilitate cantilevered hanging and retentive glide storage.

Abstract: A stackable thin-walled cup is designed to absorb telescoping loads with less risk of jamming and is for use in beverage dispensing machines with an ingredient held in the cup. As shown in FIG. 2 an ingredient is retained in the base 11 of the cup 1 which has an inward projecting annulus 6 with upper and lower surfaces 8 and 7 arranged to cooperate with surfaces 4 and 5 of an outwardly projecting annulus at the base of a second stacked cup. Surfaces 4 and 7 form a seal to prevent loss of ingredient and the two surfaces are held in contact by a force due to abutment between surfaces, 9 and 10 of respective cups. By suitable difference in linear dimension between surface 7 and abutment 10 and surface 4 and abutment 9 a force is produced by tension derived from the cup walls to hold the surfaces 4 and 7 together. Telescopic shock loads produce compression on the abutments 9 and 10 and momentarily separate surfaces 4 and 7 which re-engage on removal of the load.

Abstract: A thermoformed polymeric foam article, such as a cup or container, is disclosed having improved thermal insulation properties. Contact with hot water causes expansion of the foam wall, substantially decreasing foam density and providing greater heat retention.

Abstract: A nestable bulk container made of metal, plastic, wood or combinations thereof, of frustum-like shape and conical, rectangular or square walls. The top of each container has a reinforcing plate therearound forming a rim which includes a lifting lug. Each container has a lid adapted to fit in the rim when the container is in use, the lid having ribs, and closure parts passing therethrough and adapted to engage openings in the rim. The main application of the invention is a returnable container for the shipping of bulk goods with each container having a 1/4 ton to four ton capacity.

Abstract: Barrel consisting of a container manufactured in one piece of plastic with a bottom wall formed to provide a pedestal for resting on the ground as well as recesses to receive a pair of wheels, the container being tapered and the wheels being entirely included with an envelope of the surface of the container so that it is nestable with a similar container.

Abstract: A cold temperature chilling storage and transportation container specifically is used for fish. The space between double walls of regular or crosslinked polyethylene is filled with polyurethane foam. The outer bottom wall has nine legs formed integrally therewith. The inner bottom wall slopes to a recessed one inch opening in which a plug may be inserted. The upper half of the sidewalls extends outward about an inch and a half on each side so that empty containers may be telescoped. A cover overhangs the outer wall and has lower recesses to receive the sidewall. Nine upper recesses in the cover receive legs of the bottom wall for stacking the containers. The legs enable a forklift to be inserted from either side. A hollow double walled air manifold fits within the bottom and has a nipple to which an air hose may be connected. In use, ice is placed in the container, later, salt water and fish are added.

Abstract: A container for beverages including an outer peripheral wall and upper and lower walls. The upper wall spans and is sealed relative to the upper marginal edges of the peripheral wall and includes a first elongated tab formed integrally therewith and downwardly tearable from the top wall into the container with one bendable end of the first tab portion remaining attached to the top wall. An upwardly opening partition wall is disposed within the container below the top wall and includes peripheral edges sealed relative to the top wall. The peripheral wall defines a closed chamber within the container below the top wall. The partition wall includes a second integral elongated tab tearable therefrom with one bendable end portion of the second tab remaining attached to the partition wall. Connecting structure is operatively associated with the first and second tabs operative to effect tearing of the second tab from the partition wall responsive to downward tearing of the first tab from the top wall.

Abstract: A receptacle device comprising a tapered container having an opening and a cover pivotally attached to the opening in such a manner that the cover opens free of the opening so that a series of containers can be nested one within another without interference with the attachment of the covers and secondarily allowing easy placement and removal of sacks, bags or liner inserts.

Abstract: A tank including a bottom portion, sidewall portions and endwall portions forming a unitary structure with a top opening, a plurality of support sections spaced about the periphery of the structure, the support sections including buttress sections extending from the bottom portion upwardly toward and terminating adjacent the free edges of the wall portions, each of the buttress sections including a main surface that is spaced from the wall portion adjacent the bottom portion and converges toward the wall portion adjacent the free edge thereof, the support sections including base sections extending upwardly from the bottom portion a fraction of the height of the wall portion, each of the base sections including a main surface disposed substantially parallel to and spaced from the wall portion, each of the base sections including a top surface substantially parallel to the bottom portion, the base sections being disposed between the buttress sections, the base sections being disposed along one wall portion in p

Abstract: Nestable multi-section hinged cartons having lobe formations extending into the carton ends which may act as a fulcrum acts so as to adjust into parallelism a slightly askew carton presented to a nest of similar cartons when the pressure of a subsequent carton is applied to the nest.

Abstract: A simple, smooth, strong yet light weight plastic container having an open top end and a tapered sidewall with only an annular integral collar positioned near the top end and to which a bail is connected. The collar is of a lesser dimension that a closure to cover the top end and the plastic is semi-rigid.

Abstract: A molded paper pulp container comprising a pocketed section mutually hinged to a flat bottom cover section, both said sections comprising tapered walls bordering on said hinge, the external surfaces of said tapered walls bordering on said hinge comprising projecting abutting elements cooperating together to limit the inverted folding around said hinge. The molded paper pulp containers, mainly egg cartons, may be stacked in their flat open condition with the bottoms of the cover sections of a number of stacked containers maintained parallel thus allowing easy unstacking by mechanical devices such as suction-cups equipped unstackers.

Abstract: Clothes peg having a body of conical shape and a set of openings in the body is disclosed. The openings are necked and decrease in size as they pass upwardly of the peg. The openings are used to secure a garment to a clothes line. The body of the peg may have a locking means for locking the pegs together to form a stack.

Abstract: A shield is provided which is adapted for use in protecting a capillary pipette of a pipette assembly. The shield includes a hollow tubular body closed at one end and open at the other end. The open end of the shield is designed for removably mounting the shield on a pipette assembly with the capillary pipette thereof in protected position in the hollow tubular body. The body is formed at the closed end to facilitate use of the shield as a puncturing device. A shoulder is intermediate the ends of the body to provide a stop for preventing over extension of the closed end when used as a puncturing device and providing an engaging surface for the open end of another shield when at least two shields are nested together. When nested, the closed end of one shield extends into the open end of the next shield. By use of the shoulder and the configuration of the outer surface of a shield body, the degree of nesting is controlled and ease of removal of each shield for use is facilitated.

Abstract: A disposable plastic lid having a generally round closure wall and a depending skirt, with a stacking facility formed in the closure wall comprising a circular recess concentric with the wall and which recess has downwardly extending feet, substantially equal in circumferential extent and uniformly spaced about the periphery of the recess whereby the feet of one lid rest on the bottom wall of the recess of the next lower lid in the stack.

Abstract: A cold temperature chilling storage and transportation container specifically is used for fish. The space between double walls of regular or cross-linked polyethylene is filled with polyurethane foam. The outer bottom wall has nine legs formed integrally therewith. The inner bottom wall slopes to a recessed one inch opening in which a plug may be inserted. The upper half of the sidewalls extends outward about an inch and a half on each side so that empty containers may be telescoped. A cover overhangs the outer wall and has lower recesses to receive the sidewall. Nine upper recesses in the cover receive legs of the bottom wall for stacking the containers. The legs enable a forklift to be inserted from either side. A hollow double walled air manifold fits within the bottom and has a nipple to which an air hose may be connected. In use, ice is placed in the container; later, salt water and fish are added.

Abstract: An open container which is nestable with an underlying similar container and which is provided with wedge members and one or more locking members. Each locking member on the overlying container, in response to a relative rotation of the two nested containers, will engage and ride upon a guide surface of a corresponding wedge member of the underlying container until such locking member comes into engagement with an abutment surface of such wedge member, to secure the containers in a relative angular position established thereby. Subsequent similar containers may be stacked, nested one in another, and in a similar manner, be secured in a common angular orientation.

Abstract: A stackable tapered tube body has an annular inwardly directed bead or corrugation in the region of the sealant layer. This provides that the tube bodies do not touch each other directly and that in particular the sealant layer is protected when tube bodies are stacked together.The beads or corrugations are produced by the tube shell being gripped substantially over its entire periphery, and deformed.

Abstract: A nestable container in which identical containers are held together in a stack by holding means. The holding means comprise axially extending ribs on the outside of the container which engage a cylindrical surface on the inside of the container to hold the container together in the stack by friction.

Abstract: A food container suited for use in carry out food service having a base and cover. Each container portion is of tapered construction to permit stacking upon itself for storage and each has stop members formed thereon to determine stack height. Catch structure is formed on the cover which interlocks with resilient lip structure formed around the upper periphery of the base to detachably lock the container and base in an assembled state. The container base forms a shallow hollow of sufficient depth to prevent spillage, but is sufficiently flat to permit use as a plate which can be eaten upon with knife and fork. The resilient lip structure defines, when interlocked with the cover, vents which provide air circulation in the closed container to prevent condensation therein. Formed on the top of the cover and the bottom of the base is interfitting structure operable to retain one assembled container stably stacked on another with food contained therein.

Abstract: An upwardly open container has a flat base with upper and lower sides and an outer peripheral edge defining a predetermined shape. An array substantially of this shape of generally parallel strips extending generally perpendicularly upwardly from the base defines the sides of the container with each of the lower ends of each of the strips secured to the outer peripheral edge. These strips each have a predetermined width measured parallel to the edge and a predetermined thickness measured perpendicular to the edge, and are equispaced apart along the edge by a distance equal to at least this width. A flat rim has an inner edge of the above-mentioned shape and larger in at least one direction parallel to the base than the corresponding portion of the peripheral outer edge of the base by a difference equal to at least twice the strip thickness. The upper ends of these strips are secured to the inner edge.

Abstract: Food storage vessels in the form of foam polystyrene cups are each formed with an enlarged cap seat extending from a bottom wall of the cup to define a compartment to be filled when the cups are inverted, with deliquescent or hygroscopic material which can be reconstituted with the addition of water. The cups are inverted after stacking and held together by means applying endwise pressure thereto. In this nested and stacked condition, each cup has a depending base wall, which forms the cap seat, in sealed engagement with an adjacent portion of an adjacent nested cup to provide a sealed enclosure for the material between adjacent cups. Each of the cups is a thick wall, one-piece molded plastic cup preferably of foamed polystyrene.

Abstract: A bucket has a tapered tubular side wall including a wide rim-forming end and a narrow end, and a bail having ends secured to the side wall adjacent the wide end. The side wall is formed with at least one elongated portion forming an inwardly convex projection defining an outwardly open groove and extending from adjacent the wide end past the base wall. The side wall further having a web bridging the end of the groove adjacent the wide end and formed with a holder for an end of the bail.

Abstract: A stackable light refractor comprises an annular hollow tubular shaped element of light transmissive material having a large end and a pair of spaced apart inner and outer surfaces tapering toward a small end. The outer surface of the refractor includes a plurality of annular outwardly projecting ridges of prism shaped cross-section spaced between the larger and smaller ends. One of the ridges, spaced a distance closer to the larger end than the smaller end is substantially larger than the adjacent ridges and extends outwardly of the adjacent ridges on either side.

Abstract: A rectangular container cover includes sidewalls having an intermediate, horizontally extending ledge and downwardly depending end segment shaped to fit over a peripheral rim of a container such that the horizontal ledge is in abutment with the container lip. The cover is made of a flexible material with detents provided for releasably attaching the cover to a container near each of the corners. The corners of the cover have a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of the container on which the cover is adapted to fit such that when positioned on the container, the sides of the cover are in tension and snugly fit against the associated container.

Abstract: A single piece semi-rigid plastic carrier for glass containers is provided with the carrier comprising a planar top panel, which includes gripping means and a plurality of apertures adapted to supportingly receive a plurality of containers for holding same in a multipack assemblage, a generally sinusoidal type peripheral wall extends downwardly from the outer margins of the planar top panel and merges with a peripheral skirt which skirt, in turn, merges with a lip which is generally parallel to the planar top panel.

Abstract: A foam sandwich package having a dish section and a cover section and a latching mechanism comprising a forwardly projecting latching tongue extending into a latching aperture. The tongue is biased forwardly by the dish section and the aperture is formed in the cover portion. The dish section may be hingedly connected to the cover section, and score lines in the hinge section may be so arranged that they assist in maintaining a bias of the latching tongue forwardly.

Abstract: A thin-walled cup including wall portions having internal and external surfaces so shaped that, when the cup is nested with an identical cup in an upright attitude, the said external surfaces of the upper cup cooperate with the said internal surfaces of the lower cup, so as to resist separation of the cups, provide a seal between the cups, and provide for cushioned relative movement of the cups towards each other, with a limit to such movement.

Abstract: A half-size sheet metal steam table tray and a lid that may be joined by a sealed double seam to the tray to form a container for packing or canning, processing, storing, shipping, distributing, heating, displaying and serving processed food products in any desired manner, and particularly for use at a steam table. The tray and lid container is desirable for institutional use to replace 105 fluid ounce capacity No. 10 cans for processed foods or frozen food containers. The tray serves as a cooking vessel suitable for heating the food product packed therein after removal of the lid and before serving. The tray becomes a serving container replacing stainless steel serving pans commonly used in volume feeding establishments.

Abstract: A nestable container of resilient plastics material comprises integral bottom and side walls, the side walls diverging generally from the bottom to the top. The container has means for holding the containers together in a stack, comprising projections which provide pairs of mutually opposed shoulders on the outside of the container and projections on the inside of the container. The space between the shoulders of each pair is slightly less than the width of each projection on the inside of the container so that when such identical containers are brought together the shoulders on one container are displaced circumferentially to allow the projections on the inside of the other container to pass between them and engage behind them holding the cups together.

Abstract: Disposable mug of conical shape, the kind of which mugs may be assembled, by placing them within each other, to stacks fitting in an automatic dispenser, and which mug comprises projections provided on the side of the mug and a handle lying substantially parallel to the side and which may be formed into a grip by bending it. On the side of the mug projections have been formed substantially annularly both above and below the handle and that the extension of said projections is at least equal to the thickness of the handle.

Abstract: A cup carrier having a band made of resilient plastic material and having a plurality of cup engaging sections, each of which is intended to surround more than half the circumference of a cup. A web for supporting the cups from the bottoms is suspended beneath the band by a plurality of downwardly converging strips. The carrier is nestable with other identical carriers.

Abstract: A synthetic resinous nesting cup construction suitable for manual or mechanical or serial dispensing. The cups, in nested condition, each define a recess capable of retaining a dehydrated commestible above a lower wall thereof, the recess being sealed by the engagement of each cup with another nested therein over a predetermined peripheral area adjacent the upper edge of the cup, whereby a substantially uniform force along the axis of a stack of cups is required for each successive separation. The cups are substantially free of other contact when nested. In alternate forms of the invention, the recess is sealed by a soluble or frangible wafer, permitting the cup to be stacked in upside down condition for manual or mechanical separation from a console of table height.