Shipping container

Claim 1

A shipping container for particulate material, comprising a container portion of square or rectangular cross-section with a closed flat bottom and flat side walls having a straight top edge uniformly distant from said bottom, and a dual funnel portion forming a pair of funnels both tapering upwardly from the top of said container portion in lateral relationship and forming a pair of equal diameter circular mouths truncating the smaller end of the funnels respectively and located at the same level and along a line parallel to and equally distant from a first pair of parallel side walls, both funnels including a pair of equally inclined flat walls each common to both funnels and joining with the top edges of the first pair of side walls respectively, both funnels further including an inclined outer flat wall joining with the top edge of the side wall of the second pair of side walls, and an inclined inner flat wall joining with the inclined inner flat wall of the other funnel along a straight line parallel to, above and equally distant from the top edges of the side walls of said second pair, said outer flat walls forming a steeper funneling angle than that of said inner flat walls, a circular cover for closing each mouth pivoted to the latter about a pivotal axis parallel to said first pair of side walls for pivotal movement between a mouth closing position engaging said mouth and a mouth opening position lying against said funnel, latch means carried by said funnels engageable with said covers to removably latch the latter in closed position, a tube extending through said container portion, secured to, opening and terminating at said other pair of side walls, said tube parallel to said bottom and to said first pair of said side walls, said tube serving to receive a supporting rod about which said container can be supported and pivoted, said container being free of any projections, such as said covers, whether open or closed, said latch means and said tube, which would protrude from said side walls, so that several shipping containers can be positioned side by side with their side walls in contact.