US3765556A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Collapsible shipping container
Assignee: Allied Products Corp
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Filing: 1969-09-11
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Granted: 1973-10-16
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Expires: 1989-09-11
Abstract
Abstract A collapsible shipping container of the type used for loading on ships, trailer trucks, airplanes and railroad flat cars. The container includes a floor having four corner members, side walls supported by the floor, a roof connected to the side walls and end walls each having two corner posts pivotally connected to the corner members and adapted to be supported only by the corner members when the container is in an erected condition. The upper end of each of the corner posts has at least one gripping member receiving formation which conforms to international standards as to size, configuration and location so that the erected container can be picked up and moved by a standard container handling device. The lower end of each of the corner posts also has at least one gripping member receiving formation which conforms to international standards as to size and configuration and is located so that when the container is in a collapsed condition with the end walls positioned over the roof, the formations at the lower ends of the corner posts will conform to international standards as to location so that the collapsed container can be picked up and moved by the standard container handling device in the collapsed condition as well as in the erected condition.
Inventors
- 👤 A Baer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 23:23
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D88/00; B65D88/02; B65D88/022; B65D88/52; B65D88/522; B65D88/524; B65D90/00; B65D90/0026
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
A collapsible shipping container of the type used for loading on ships, airplanes, trailer trucks and railroad flat cars, said container comprising a floor having four corner members, first and second side walls each of which is adapted to be connected to said floor between two of said corner members, first and second end walls each of which is pivotally connected to one pair of said corner members and is arranged to be supported by said one pair of corner members when said container is in an erected condition, and a roof which is supported by said end walls when said container is in said erected condition, each of said end walls including two corner posts and an end panel therebetween, each of said corner members including a gudgeon portion having a pin receiving opening and each of said corner posts including a trunnion portion at the lower end thereof having a pivot pin which is received in said opening, each of said corner members having a load bearing seating surface and each of said lower ends of each of said corner posts having a mating load bearing seating surface which is adapted to rest upon and be supported only by said seating surface of the cooperating adjacent one of said corner members when said container is in said erected condition, so that any load placed on said corner posts will be supported only by said corner posts and said corner members and not by said pivot pins.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
A collapsible shipping container of the type used for loading on ships, airplanes, trailer trucks and railroad flat cars, said container comprising a floor having four corner members, first and second side walls each of which is adapted to be connected to said floor between two of said corner members, first and second end walls each of which is pivotally connected to one pair of said corner members and is arranged to be supported by said one pair of corner members when said container is in an erected condition, and a roof which is supported by said end walls when said container is in said erected condition, each of said end walls including two corner posts and an end panel therebetween, each of said corner members including a gudgeon portion having a pin receiving opening and each of said corner posts including a trunnion portion at the lower end thereof having a pivot pin which is received in said opening, each of said corner members having a load bearing seating surface and each of said lower ends of each of said corner posts having a mating load bearing seating surface which is adapted to rest upon and be supported only by said seating surface of the cooperating adjacent one of said corner members when said container is in said erected condition, so that any load placed on said corner posts will be supported only by said corner posts and said corner members and not by said pivot pins.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
133 words
The container as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said openings in said gudgeon portions has a rounded load bearing bottom surface for supporting one of said pins received therein when each of said side walls is being pivoted toward or from a generally vertical position, and each of said openings is elongated in a generally vertical direction to permit the pin received therein to shift generally vertically in said elongated opening when said seating surface on said lower end of one of said corner posts is pivoted into engagement with said mating load bearing seating surface on said cooperating adjacent corner member whereby each of said corner posts is supported only by said seating surface on the adjacent one of said corner members when said container is in said erected condition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
122 words
The container as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said side walls has an upper section, a lower section and a hinge means hingedly connecting said sections, said roof being connected to said upper sections and said hinge means permitting said side wall sections to fold inwardly along a fold line defined by said hinge means in such a way that said lower section of each of said side walls will rest upon said floor, said upper section of each of said side walls will rest upon said lower section thereof, said roof will rest upon said upper sections of said side walls and said end walls will rest upon said roof, when said container is in a fully collapsed cOndition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The container as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said hinge means includes at least one gasket receiving formation and a gasket material received therein for sealing each of said hinge means from moisture and foreign material when said container is in said erected condition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
The container as defined in claim 1 wherein first gasket means are provided along the upper end of each of said end walls for sealingly engaging said roof to seal the junctions between said roof and said end walls and said side walls have gasket means at each end thereof for sealingly engaging said corner posts of said end walls to seal the junction between said end walls and said side walls when said container is in said erected condition.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-15 | 1977-04-16 | 1977-10-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-15 | 1981-04-16 | 1981-10-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-15 | 1985-04-16 | 1985-10-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |