Container with removable side panels

Claim 2

A container comprising a generally horizontal generally polygonal bottom wall having a plurality of sides, a corner post extending upwardly from the bottom wall adjacent each intersection of adjacent sides thereof, a top rail extending between the upper ends of each adjacent pair of corner posts and secured thereto, and a side panel extending between the top rail and the bottom wall between each adjacent pair of corner posts, at least one of the side panels being formed of relatively flexible and resilient material and having a pair of opposed side edges, flange means on the container engageable with edge portions of said one side panel along the pair of opposed sides to restrain inward movement of the opposed side edges, other side edges of the one side panel being movable inwardly whereby said one side panel may be bowed inwardly to withdraw the pair of opposed side edges from the flange means and to permit the one side panel to be pushed inwardly away from the associated corner posts.

Claim 3

The container of claim 1 including flange means on the container for the other side panels, each of the side walls being formed of relatively flexible and resilient material and having a pair of opposed side edges, the flange means for each of the side panels being engageable with edge portions along the opposed sides of the side panel to restrain inward movement of the opposed sides, other side edges of each side panel being movable inwardly, whereby each side panel may be bowed inwardly to withdraw the pair of opposed sides thereof from the flange means and to permit the panel to be pushed inwardly away from the associated corner posts.

Claim 4

The container of claim 1 in which the flange means includes a generally downwardly extending upper flange secured to the top rail above said one side panel for engaging a portion of one of the opposed edges of the one side wall and a generally upwardly extending bottom flange secured to the bottom wall of the container for engaging a portion of the other opposed edge of the one side panel.

Claim 5

The container of claim 3 in which the bottom wall comprises a bottom rail extending between lower end portions of each pair of adjacent corner posts and being secured thereto and a generally polygonal generally horizontally extending bottom panel secured to the bottom rails, a portion of the upper flange being spaced inwardly from the top rail above said one side panel to provide a channel for receiving one of the opposed edges of the one side panel, the bottom flange being secured to the bottom panel inwardly of the adjacent bottom rail to provide a channel for receiving the other opposed edge of the one side panel.

Claim 6

The container of claim 4 in which the bottom panel is generally rectangular and the container includes four corner posts.

Claim 7

The container of claim 1 including an intermediate post extending upwardly from the bottom wall to the top rail which extends between the pair of corner posts associated with said one side panel, the intermediate post being positioned outwardly of the one side panel for preventing outward movement thereof.

Claim 8

A container comprising four orthogonally related side frames, each of the side frames including a top rail and a bottom rail, a corner post extending between the top rails and bottom rails at each intersection of the side frames, a generally rectangular bottom panel secured to the bottom rails, and a generally planar side panel for each side frame, each side panel having a top edge extending adjacent the inside of the top rail of the associated side frame and bottom edge extending adjacent the bottom rail of the associated side frame and a pair of side edges, each side edge of each panel extending adjacent one of the corner posts, upper flange means secured to each top rail and being spaced inwardly therefrom, each upper flange means extending below and inwardly of the top edge of a side panel, bottom flange means secured to the bottom panel inwardly of each bottom rail and extending upwardly above and inwardly of the bottom edge of a side panel, each side panel being formed of relatively flexible and resilient material whereby each side panel can be removed from the associated side frame by bowing the side edges of the side panel inwardly to withdraw the top and bottom edges of the side panel away from the top and bottom flange means.

Claim 9

A container comprising four orthogonally related side frames, each of the side frames including a top rail and a bottom rail, a corner post extending between the top rails and bottom rails at each intersection of the side frames, a generally rectangular bottom panel secured to the bottom rails, and a generally planar side panel for each side frame, each side panel having a top edge extending adjacent the inside of the top rail of the associated side frame and bottom edge extending adjacent the bottom rail of the associated side frame and a pair of side edges, each side edge of each panel extending adjacent one of the corner posts, upper flange means secured to each top rail and being spaced inwardly therefrom, each upper flange means extending below and inwardly of the top edge of a side panel, bottom flange means secured to the bottom panel inwardly of each bottom rail and extending upwardly above and inwardly of the bottom edge of a side panel, each side panel being formed of relatively flexible and resilient material whereby each side panel can be removed from the associated side frame by bowing the side edges of the side panel inwardly to withdraw the top and bottom edges of the side panel away from the top and bottom flange means.

Claim 10

The container of claim 7 including an intermediate post extending between the top and bottom rails between each pair of corner posts, each intermediate post preventing outward movement of a side panel.

Claim 11

The container of claim 7 in which the corner posts extend downwardly beyond the bottom rails, a supporting bar extending between a pair of adjacent corner posts below the associated bottom rail for supporting a portion of the weight of the container.

Claim 12

The container of claim 7 in which each of the corner Posts includes a generally planar surface extending generally parallel to the diagonal dimension of the container between two other diagonally opposed corner posts, said planar surface of each corner post being positioned adjacent a side edge of each of a pair of adjacent side panels to prevent outward movement of said side edges.

Claim 13

A container comprising a plurality of intersecting side frames, each of the side frames including a top rail and a bottom rail, a corner post extending between the top rails and bottom rails at each intersection of the side frames, a generally rectangular bottom panel secured to the bottom rails, and a generally planar side panel for each side frame, each side panel having a top edge extending adjacent the inside of the top rail of the associated side frame and a bottom edge extending adjacent the bottom rail of the associated side frame and a pair of side edges, each side edge of each panel extending adjacent one of the corner posts, upper connecting means releasably securing the top edge of each side panel to the associated top rail and lower connecting means releasably securing the bottom edge of each side panel to the associated bottom rail whereby each side panel can be removed from the associated side frame by pushing inwardly on the side panel.

Claim 14

A container comprising a plurality of intersecting side frames, each of the side frames including a top rail and a bottom rail, a corner post extending between the top rails and bottom rails at each intersection of the side frames, a generally rectangular bottom panel secured to the bottom rails, and a generally planar side panel for each side frame, each side panel having a top edge extending adjacent the inside of the top rail of the associated side frame and a bottom edge extending adjacent the bottom rail of the associated side frame and a pair of side edges, each side edge of each panel extending adjacent one of the corner posts, upper connecting means releasably securing the top edge of each side panel to the associated top rail and lower connecting means releasably securing the bottom edge of each side panel to the associated bottom rail whereby each side panel can be removed from the associated side frame by pushing inwardly on the side panel.

Claim 15

The container of claim 11 in which the upper and lower connecting means comprise resilient fasteners secured to each side panel along the top and bottom edges thereof and openings in the top and bottom rails receiving the fasteners.

Claim 16

The container of claim 12 including an intermediate post extending between the top and bottom rails between each pair of corner posts and resilient fastener secured to each side panel and received in an opening in the associated intermediate post.

Claim 17

The container of claim 11 in which the upper connecting means comprises a flange secured to each top rail and extending downwardly and inwardly of the top edge of the associated side panel and the lower connecting means comprises a flange secured to the bottom panel inwardly of each bottom rail and extending upwardly above and inwardly of the bottom edge of the associated side panel.