Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
09~643~ ::
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~ ; A BASKET ADAPTED TO ~E STACKED IN OR ON TOP OF
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ANOTHER SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL BASKET
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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This invention relates to a basket adapted to be stacked
in or on top of another substantially identical basket witl
a bottom and side walls.
Great requirements are put on the containers, baskets
and crates in which filled and empty bottles and the like -
are conveyed. For instance, the walls of the crates shall be
as vertical as possible so that the relative movements be~
tween the bottles will be as small as possible. Hitherto
such crates have been made of wood and lately also of plas-
, tic. These prior art crates are costly because of the material
from which they are made, and they also suffer from the great
drawback that they cannot be stacked in each other in the
empty state, from which problems of transportation and storage
have resulted.
, Others have heretofore sought, with varying de~rees
of success, to provide baskets that selectively nest (stack
within) or stack on each other. In such prior devices the
various inventors have perceiv^d a need for certain features,
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but none have created the combinations that are disclosed
herein. Thus, while patents, such as U.S. 2,252,964 dis-
close the utility of vertical sides over tapering sides,
movable means may be needed to transform such baskets from f
a nesting condition to a stacking condition. While patent ~ -
U.S. 2,931,535 discloses utility of inclined parallel wire
members in the side ~alls having inter-engaging shoulders
and feet at the ends thereof, such baskets are required to
be shifted and offset horizontally in order to effect nesting.
While patents, such as U.S. 2,252,964, U.S. 2,964,211, U.S.
3,4~1,507 and U.S. 3,622,031 disclose utility in rotating
the baskets, from a position where multiple baskets appear
identically, about a vertical axis by 90 or 180 to effect
stacking rather than nesting, such constructions normally
utilize inclined wall elements and other wall parts to abut
by interference or by telescoping into each other, thereby
risking the jamming together of elements that could inter-
fere with the ability to separate nested baskets.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF T~E INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to eliminate
the disadvantages of the prior art containers, baskets and
crates to the largest extent possible.
To this end, the side walls of the baskets according
to the invention are substantially vertical and assembled
from a number of wire or rod-like elements upstanding from
the bottom of the basket, said ele~lents occupying in each
side wall plane an oblique position to the plane of the
basket bottom.
~ The broad object is attained by the invention which
contemplates a basket construction which includes a
generally rectangular top frame defining elongated frame
legs, a similar rectangular basket bottom of smaller
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peripheral dimensions than the inner periphery of the top
frame, at least two side wall means extending between the L
top frame and basket bottom to maintain the frame and bottom h
in spaced parallel relation, with each of the side wall means r
being disposed in vertical planes whose thickness is bounded
between a vertical projection at the inner periphery of
the frame leg of the top frame and a vertical projection
of the corresponding edge of the basket bottom. The vertical F
extent of each side wall means is defined by a series of spaced,
parallel, inclined, wire-like elements of substantially the
same gauge whose horizontal projections onto a vertical plane,
that is substantially parallel to the wall means, are sub-
stàntially parallel lines inclined to the traces of the spaced
parallel top frame and basket bottom, and whose projections,
onto a horizontal plane provide traces that are spaced from
each other and from the traces of the top frame. Means on -
the basket spaces two identical nested baskets a distance
greater than the gauge of the wire-like elements of the side
wall means, whereby to prçvent the upright elements of the
side wall means of one nesting basket from substantial contact
with the similar elements of adjacent nested baskets. The
side wall means along a pair of parallel sides of the basket
provide abutment elements which permit basket nesting when
baskets are identically aligned and provide for basket stack-
ing when vertically adjacent`identical baskets are rotated
relative to each other to bring different side wall means of
the basket into vertical alignment with each other.
Another object of the present invention is to simplify
- the prior art designs but also to provide a wire basket of
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rectangular load receiving space. To this end, the wire
basket has the wires of at least two opposed side walls
aligned, and a portion constituting a supporting surface is
provided at the upper ends of the wires in the two opposed
5 side walls.
Another object of the invention is to provide a wire
basket in which the wires constituting the side walls are
bent at an angle smaller than 90 or a-t an angle of 90 with
the bottom plane and extend up to the opposite side wall.
A further object of the present invention is to provide
a wire basket in which the wires having a portion forming a
supporting surface are bent at an angle smaller than 90, in
order that part of the bottom forming section of said wires
shall be able to cooperate with the supporting surface forming
portion of another basket.
And still a further object o~ this invention is to
provide (1) a basket construction of improved character,
yet of relatively inexpensive construction, (2) wherein the
basket may both stack or nest, (3) where the nesting char- ;
acter is not achieved at the expense of the vertical char-
acter of the inner projected confines of the walls of the
basket, or at the expense of the ability of nested baskets
to be readily separated, (4) where the nesting character
is maximized to the extent that loss of vertical space
during nesting is at a minimum, and (5) where the stacking
character is secured simply by rotation of one basket rel-
ative to the basket beneath without any moving parts on the
basket, and the elements for achieving stac]cing are located
at such predetermined spacings longitudinally of sides of
the basket, and at such projections inwardly within the
vertical projections of the walls of the baskets, as to
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assure nesting without jamming, but to insure stacking,
with minimum effort at alignment of baskets one above the
other both during nesting and stacking.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention will be more fully des-
cribed hereinbelow and with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of two baskets, according
to the invention, stacked one on top of the other;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of two baskets stacked one
in the other;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of a basket in another embodi-
ment;
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the basket shown in Fig.
3, the middle portion having been broken away;
Fig. 5 is a section of parts of two baskets according
to Figs. 3 and 4 stacked one on top of the other, with Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a basket according
to the invention;
Fig. 7 is a plan view of the basket in Fig. 6.
Figs. 8-13 show an embodiment of the invention of the
type generally illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, with Fig. 8
showing an end elevational view of two rectangular nested
baskets;
Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the two nested
baskets of Fig. 8;
Fig. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevational view
of one end of two baskets of the type shown in Fig. 9, but
with the upper basket having been rotated 180~ and being
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stacked upon the lower basket;
Fig. 11 is a fragmentary end elevational view looking
at the stacked baskets of Fig. 10 from a position to the
left thereof;
Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of the set of
baskets of Figs. 8 and 9 showing additional details of the
nested baskets;
Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bas-
kets of Fig. 10 showing additional details of the stacked
baskets;
Fig. 14 illustrates, in an end elevational view, a mod-
ified form of a basket of the type shown in Fig. 8;
Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing a further
modified form of basket construction and illustrating two
nested baskets;
Fig. 16 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing
the detail taken substantially along line 16-16 of Fig. 15
of the nesting top rims of the baskets;
Fig. 17 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 15,
but showing the two baskets stacked by the rotation of the
uppermost basket 180 from the position shown in Fig. 15;
Fig. 18 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken
substantially along line 18-18 of Fig. 17 and showing details
of the basket in stacking position;
Fig. 19 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of
a basket of the type shown in Fig. 9, with similarities there-
of with the construction shown in pLan in Fig. 7 being evident
upon comparison;
Fig. 20 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to that
seen in Fig. 19, but showing a modification of the shouLder
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abutment element compared to that shown in Fig. 19;
Fig. 21 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken
substantially on line 21-21 on Fig. 20;
Fig. 22 is a fragmentary perspective view, of a similar
nature to the view in Fig. 13, but showing the use of the
modified shoulder abutment of Figs. 20 and 21 in a basket
stacking arrangement;
Fig. 23 is a plan view of a modified form of basket
construction of generally square cross-section, the view
being similar generally to the generally square cross-
section shown in Fig. 3, but illustrating different con-
structional details in the wire elements of the side wall
means and basket bottom;
Fig. 24 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to
Fig. 13 showing two baskets of the type shown in plan view
of Fig. 23, but in stacking position;
Fig. 25 is a fragmentary perspective view of a lower
corner of two nested baskets of the type shown in Figs. 23
and 24;
Fig. 26 is a side elevational view showing two baskets
of a type of Figs. 23 and 24 in nested condition;
Fig. 27 is a side elevational view showing baskets of
- the type in Figs. 23-26 in stacked condition.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
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In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in
Figs 1 and 2 the basket has a square bottom 1 made of, for
example, a metal sheet and havin~ upwardly bent edges. The
side walls of the basket are assembled from a number of
wires 2 of substantially rectangular cross section. The
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wires 2 are placed at an angle to the plane of the basket
bottom and their ends are bent to form a foot 3 at each end.
The feet closest to the bottom plane carry the reference
numeral 3A and the feet at the other end of the wires 2
carry the reference numeral 3B. The feet 3A are fastened
to the outer side of the edges of the bottom sheet metal 1,
while the feet 3B are fastened to the inner side of a frame
4. As will appear from Figs. 1 and 2, the feet 3A and 3B
are directed each in one direction and situated in planes
parallel to the bottom plane 1 and in the plane of the side
wall formed by the wires 2.
As will appear more clearly from Fig. 2, baskets accord-
ing to the invention can be stacked in each other and, as
will appear from Fig. 1, the baskets can also be stacked on
top of each other after the baskets have been turned through
an angle of gO relative to each other. After extraction of
the uppermost basket in Fig. 2 and after rotation thereof
through an angle of 90, it will obtain the same position as
the uppermost basket in Fig. 1. In this position of the bas- `
ket, the feet 3A of the uppermost basket will be aligned with
the feet 3B of the lowermost basket, whereby the lowermost
basket in Fig. 1 will carry the uppermost basket. A stack
of several baskets according to Fig. 1 are stabilized by
means of the frame 4 and the bottom 1.
The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs.
3 and 5 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 substan-
tially in that the basket is made entirely of wires 1-19 of
circular cross section. The wires 1~18 constitute both the
side walls and the bottom of the basket. The ends 3B of
the wires 1-18 are, moreover, bent at right angles to the
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plane of the side wall formed by the wires. The frame 19
is placed on the ends 3B and connected thereto. The frame
19 also has four semi-circular outwardly bent portions 20.
These portions are placed on two opposed frame parts and each
near one end of said frame parts, and the outwardly bent por-
tions of the two opposed frame parts are not aligned with
each other, as will appear more clearly from Fig. 4.
It should be observed that the basket illustrated in
Figs. 3-5 is rectangular in such a way that the dlstance
between the parts of the wires 6 and 15 extending in the bot-
tom is greater than the distance between the side walls formed
by the wires 1-5 and 10-14 but smaller than the distance
between the parts of the frame 19 extending along these side
walls. This is illustrated more in detail in Fig. 5 which
shows how the wire$ are located when two baskets are stacked
one on top of the other. The outwardly bent portions 20
serve, on one hand, for stabilizing stacked baskets and, on
the other hand, for preventing two stacked baskets from fix-
edly engaging one another so that it is difficult to dis-
assemble them. This is illustrated in Fig. 4 in which part
of the outwardly bent portions 20 of another basket is shown.
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs:
3 and 4 the baskets may be made of metal wires and the wires
may be interconnected by welding or any other appropriate
way.
It is not necessary to provide the outwardly bent por-
tions 20 in the frame 19. In fact, the frame 19 in a modified
embodiment thereof may be entirely smooth and the parts of
the wires 6 and 15 extending in the basket bottom may be off-
set inwardly towards the middle of the bottom, said wire parts
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being replaced by wires extending merely along the bottom
and provided with portions directed outwardly away from the
bottom, which portions may be identical with the outwardly
bent portions 20. These wires may suitably have a larger -~
diameter than the wires 1-18, but in this modification they
may be of a smaller diameter than in the embodiment illus-
trated in Figs. 3-5. Apart from having the same function
as the outwardly bent portions 20, these portions, which
extend outwardly from the bottom, will serve as feet.
The wire basket illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 is made
of a number of wires having circular cross section. The
outer contour of the basket is determined by an edge wire
which has a slightly larger cross section than the other
wires of the basket. Two of the opposed side walls are ~ -
formed by identical wires 21-51 and 61-91. Apart from
forming side walls in the basket, these wires 21-91 also
form the bottom of the wire basket in that they extend
along said bottom. In the resulting side wall plane the
wires 21-51 extend at an angle to the bottom plane as do
the wires 61-91. It should be observed, however, that the -
wires 21-51 are set at an angle in one direction, whereas
the wires 61-91 are set at an angle in the other direction.
The ends of the wires 21-91 closest to the edge wire 100
are bent outwardly at right angles for enabling their con-
nection with the edge wire 100.
The other two opposed side walls of the wire basket
are formed by the wires 101-131. The wires 101-131 are
bent in exact:Ly the same manner and extend in the bottom
and in the side walls of the basket. The side wall plane
formed by the wires 101-131 makes a slightly smaller angle
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than 90 with the bottom plane. The ends o~ the wires
101-131 closest to the edge wire 100 are bent to form,
on one hand, a supporting surface 141 and, on the other
hand, an identical connecting section as the wires 21-91,
by which section the wires 101-131 are connected with the
edge wire 100.
The wire basket illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 besides
has a bottom wire 141 which extends along three of the
sides of the bottom.
When baskets of the above described construction are
to be stacked on top of each other the baskets are rotated
through 180 relative to each other, whereby the outer
bottom portion of the wires 101-131 will rest on the sup-
porting surface 141. A stack of wire baskets will be very
stable since the respective bottom portion of the wires
101-131 will lie at a relative large depth in the subjacent
basket.
Figs. 8-13 disclose details of a modified form of bas-
ket, generally of the type illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.
Figs. 8, 9, and 12 show two identical baskets nested. Figs.
10, 11, and 13 show two identical wire baskets, or boxes,
stacked one upon the otherO Since the baskets are identical,
the same numerals will be used to describe the elements of
the basket. To distinguish the two baskets, the top basket
will sometimes be referred to as the "A" basket, and the
lower basket will sometimes be called the "B" basket. As
seen in the Figures, the basket is generally indicated at
200 and includes a generally rectangular top frame 202 having
longer side legs shown in elevation in Fig. 9, and end legs
of lesser length as shown in Fig. 8. It will be understood
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that a basket having a square top frame is only a partic-
ular form for utilization of the principles disclosed in
connection with the rectangular basket.
The rectangular top frame 202 thus provides a
shorter pair of frame legs 204 and 206 along the ends of
the basket,and a longer pair of frame legs 208 and 210
along the basket sides. Tlle basket bottom is generally
indicated at 212, and is defined by a grid of cross wires
that are welded together at their points of contact. One
set of wires oi the grid may be part of the wires that make
up the end walls of the basket, and another set may include
portions of the wires that make up the side walls of the
basket. In the particular construction illustrated, the
end wall extending downwardly from top frame leg 20~ in-
cludes a series of parallel, inclined wires 214 whose upper
ends are turned outwardly at 214a to connect to the under-
side of frame leg 204. The lower end of each wire 214 is
turned and extends longitudinally of the basket to serve
as upper wire 215 of basket bottom 212. The opposite end
wall of the basket extending downwardly from top frame leg
206 includes a series of parallel, inclined wires 216 whose
upper ends turn outwardly and connect to the underside of
top frame leg 206, and the bottom end of each wire 216
turns and runs longitudinally to serve as upper wire 217
of basket bottom 212. If the basket bottom requires addi-
tional longitudinal wires, they may be added as needed or
desired, without increasing the number of wires in the end
walls.
The cross wires of the basket bottom 212 are the
bight portions of the generally U-shaped members whose
legs are indicated at 218a and 218b, and the bight being
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indicated at 218c. The bight portions 218c lie cross-
wise beneath longitudinal wires 215 and 217 and connect
thereto. The U-member's legs 2]8a and 218b are parallel
and are inclined and are arranged in mirror image ~ashion,
with the set of inclined wires 218b being arranged to
form the side wall of the basket extending downwardly from t
top frame leg 208 as seen in Fig. 9, and the other set of
inclined wires 218a forming the opposite side wall of the
basket extending downwardly from top frame leg 210.
In the particular design shown, at least two side wall
means are required to maintain the parallel spacing between
the basket bottom 212 and the top frame 202. The basket
bottom 212 has a rectangular periphery similar to the rec-
tangular periphery of the top frame 202, but the bottom is
of smaller peripheral dimensions than the inner peripheral
dimensions of the top frame 202, since space must be pro-
vided in which the side wall means of the basket are to be
positioned, and the effective rectangular periphery of the
basket bottom is effectively bounded by vertical planes
bounding the innermost extent of such side wall means.
Considering now the wall means, each side and end wall
means, whether two or more are used in a basket, is located~
or disposed, in a narrow space defined by rather closely
spaced vertical planes. The thickness of the wall space is
bounded between a vertical projection of the inner periphery
of the adjacent frame leg of the top frame, and a vertical
projection of the corresponding edge of the basket bottom.
This can be best seen, for example, in Fig. 8 where the
vertical plane that is the projection of the inner periphery
of the frame leg 210 is shown at 210a and the vertical
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projection of the corresponding edge of the basket bottom ,;
is shown at 212a, and the space between those two projec-
tions is the planar space in which is located the side
wall means that correspond with the leg 210 of the top
frame 202.
The wall means in each instance includes only at
least one series of spaced parallel wire-like elements,
each of substantially the same gauge whose projections
or traces onto a vertical plane effectively are seen in
the respective elevational views of E`igs. 8-11. Thus, and A .
for example, the vertical extent of the end wall means
that is associated with the top frame leg 204 is effectively
defined by the five (5) spaced parallel wire-like members
21g each shown as being of substantially the same gauge
and whose traces appear as substantially parallel lines
inclined to the traces of both the top frame 202 and basket
bottom 212. Another requirement of the wire elements making
up the wall means of the basket is that projections of the
inclined wires 214 onto a horizontal plane shall provide
only traces that are each spaced from adjacent traces and
also are located spaced inwardly from the trace of the top
frame except at the points of interconnection or merging
of wires 214 with the top frame and basket bo-ttom. This
feature is best seen in Fig. 19, and can also be seen in
Fig. 7.
It is desirable and important that the respective
inclined wires of the wall means of the baskets, when
nested, avoid, as much as possible, being forced together,
thereby substantially limiting potential jamming of the
wires of the side wall means. Where wires have been jammed
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together, the generation of interference or friction
therebetween may interfere with separation of nested
baskets. In order to substantially prevent jamming
together of wire elements of the side wall means, a
spacing means is provided on eac:h basket for vertically
spacing identical baskets, when nested, a distance slightly
greater than the gauge of the wire-like elements of the
side wall means. In the form of device shown in Figs. 8-
13, the means for so vertically spacing the baskets is by
inclusion of two angle-sectioned combination guide and
spacer members, in the form of a runner, 222 that extend
along the length of the basket adjacent opposite sides,
being secured to the underside of the basket bottom 212.
One leg 222a of the angle section 222 is positioned vert-
ically so that its outer surface will be located approx-
imately in the vertical projection of the corresponding
edge of the basket bottom 212, such as indicated by the
broken-line trace 212a, that is located slightly inwardly
of the innermost extent of each side wall means associated
with legs 208 and 210 of the top frame. The thickness of
support leg 222a is selec-ted to fit between trace line
212a and theclosest adjacent longitudinal cross wire 215
of basket bottom 212. The other flange 222b of the guide-
spacer 222 is welded to the underside of the basket bottom
212. Where needed, additional wire spacers, such as shown
at 224, may be provided to which the spacer 222 is welded.
The degree of vertical nesting will be a function of the
vertical width of the spacer leg 222a. In stacking, the
leg 222a lies adjacent upper portions of side wall wires
218a and 218_, serving a guide or lateral spacer function.
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The wall means of basket 200 along the elongated
sides thereof that correspond with top frame legs 208
and 210 are each provided with sets of vertically spaced
upper and lower abutment elements positioned within the
region of the wall means. These abutment elements are
arranged to permit basket nesting when the baskets are
identically aligned as seen in Figs. 8 and 9, but which
insure basket-stacking when the adjacent identical baskets
have been rotated relative to each other by 180 to bring
opposite walls of the basket into vertical alignment with
each other as shown in Figs. 10 and ll. The abutment means r
may be provided in various forms, one set being abutment
shoulders adjacent the top frame 202, and the other set of
abutments being support feet adjacent the basket bottom
212.
In the specific forms shown in Figs. 6-7 and Figs. 8-13,
the abutment shoulders have been defined by appropriately
preforming the inclined wires of the side walls. In Figs.
8-13, and as most clearly seen in Fig. 9, the uppermost
section of wire 218b is bent, or offset, away from the nor-
mal line of slope of leg 218b to provide a generally hor-
izontal support shoulder 218d that merges with a vertical
leg portion 218e that turns at its upper end outwardly to
furnish a connecting leg 218f that engages and secures to
the underside of the top frame leg 208 by being welded
thereto. In plan view, leg 218b not only slopes down-
wardly, from left to right as seen in Fig. 19, but also
diverges outwardly so that the lowermost bend at 218g forms
a support foot which is located to be received in and
positioned outwardly of the crotch defined by the leg
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segments 218_ and 218e as can be most clearly seen in
Fig. 10 and Fig. 13.
An important part of the arrangement of the wires
218_ and 218b and their respective sub-portions is that
each set of one shoulder 218d and one support foot 218g
of a single wire 218a or 218b is located within an equal
aliquot, sub-portion of the length of the adjacent edge
of the basket bottom, and each of the wires 218a and 218b
is offset from the next adjacent wire as clearly shown,
for example, in Figs. 9 and 19. This arrangement permits
the nesting of the baskets by merely vertically aligning
two baskets A and B and moving basket A vertically down
into basket B to the nested position shown in Figs. 8 and
9. On the other hand, when a basket A has been rotated
180 to the positions of Fig. 10, and basket A then is
moved downwardly vertically toward basket B the support
foot abutments 218g are then so positioned that they
automatically engage the abutm~nt shoulders 218d on the
B basket without any hunting for an exact fit. The guide
legs 222a fitting between shoulders 218d along opposite
walls also aids in insuring engagement of the support
feet on the support shoulders.
In the specific baskets shown, the side walls associated
with the legs 208 and 210 of the top frame have the wire
elements thereof arranged in mirror image relation to each
other, while the wire elements in the end walls are not
arranged in mirror image, but do have an identical rota-
tional relationship relative to a vertical rotational axis
that is perpendicular to the center of the basket bottom.
Because of this, the wires of the side walls of the stacked
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A and B baskets'app~ar: to slop~ in different directions
in Fig. 10, while the wires 214 and 216 of the end walls
of stacked A and B baskets appear to slope in the same
direction in Fig. 11.
In a modified form of basket construction shown in
Fig. 14, the height and lateral e~tent of the end walls ,
are shown materially reduced so as to provide relatively
free access through the end wal]s. This permits the goods
that may be carried in the interior of the basket to be
removed from the basket through an end wall. Minimum means
for retaining goods in the basket are provided at the end
walls, such as by low rise retention bails 230 secured to i'
the basket bottom 213 and by use of minimum number of in-
clined end wall wires 232.
In another modified forr,l of basket illustrated in
Figs. 15-18, the means for spacing the nested baskets is
provided in the shape and construction of the top frame
wire 202a of the basket and the upper ends of the side
wall wires are slightly modified. The top frame 202a is
in the form of a flat wire whose width dimension is greater
than its thickness, and the width is disposed vertically
and arranged to engage a similar top frame wire of another
bas]cet. The width of the wire 202a is selected to be
greater than the gauge of the wires of the wall means. The
wall wires at their upper ends have the support shoulders, '
218d' extend to engage the underedge of the wires 202a as
seen in Fig. 16. As shown in Figs. 15 and 17, but best
seen in the perspective view, Fig. ,22,the flat wires 202a
may have portions 234 offset by twisting to provide a space
or access opening between adjacent abutting top frames 202a
of the nesting baskets.
While in the form of basket shown in Figs. 8-13, the
abutment means in the side walls such as the abutment
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shoulders and support feet are formed as integral seg-
ments of the wire-like elements of the side wall means,
it will be understood that the abutments may be separate
from the wire elements and may be formed in different
ways. Thus, in the variant shown in Figs. 20-22 abutment
shoulders 240 are provided as tabs, flanges, or ledges
that project inwardly from the top frame wire 202a at the
region where the abutment shoulder should be located. The
wire elements may still form the support feet, and need
only be inclined upwardly, from right to left as viewed
in Fig. 20. In the form shown in Figs. 20-22, the abutment
shoulder 240 is located in the area previously occupied by
the abutment shoulder 218d, and is separate from the wire
218b that forms part of the side wall means. The wire 218b
may still be used ~to provide th~ support foot 218g for co-
operation with the abutment shoulder 240.
The wires 214 and 216 that define the end walls of
the baskets are slightly offset, a distance in the range
of the gauge of the wires, inwardly of top frame wire
legs 204 and 206 respectively providing effectively ver-
tical planes that bound the ends of the goods-enclosing
space of the basket, and at the same time the outer sur-
faces of the lower ends of such wires 214 and 216 guidingly
cooperate with the inner edges of frame legs 206 and 204
respectively during stacking of basket A on basket B to
precisely locate the abutment feet above the abutment shoul-
ders in the basket side walls.
The wires 21~a and 218b each are identically formed
but have mirror image relation to each other. These side
wall wires have portions that are maximally offset inwardly
of the frame wire legs 208 and 210 a substantially greater
19
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distance than the slight inward offset of wires of the
end walls. The portions 218d of wires 218a and 218b
operate to define the vertical planes that bound the sides
of the goods-enclosing space of the basket. In order to
limit shifting of basket A relative to basket B in direc-
tions normal to top frame legs 208 and 210, there lS the
adjacency relationship of wire portions 218_ to angle legs
222a in the construction of Figs. 8-13, and there is the
adjacency relationship of the lower ends of wires 218a and
218b, above the foot abutment 218g, respectively with legs
210 and 208 during stacking, as illustrated in Fig. 22.
In the form of device shown in Figs. 23-27, the bas-
ket i5 generally of square cross section and the elements
of the basket are so arranged that when two baskets are
identically aligned they will nest, but when rotated 90
about a vertical axis through the center of the basket
bottom the baskets will stack. The construction shown in
the plan view of Fig. 23 is similar in many respects to
the construction shown in Fig. 3. The numbers used to
identify parts of the basket follow the numbering in the
description of Figs. 8-13 increased by 100 so that the
new reference numerals are in the 300 series.
In the construction of Figs. 23-27, the basket is
generally 300, the top frame wire, generally 302, includes
elongated legs 304,306 associated with a first pair of
opposite sides and legs 308 and 310 associated with the
other pair of opposite sides. The basket bottom 312 is
defined by crossing wires. The pair of wall means assoc-
iated with legs 304 and 306 are defined by inclined wires
respectively 314 and 316 whose lower ends are turned to
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10~6434
provide lower cross wires, respectively, 315 and 317 of
the bottom 312. The walls associated with legs 304 and
306 are spaced inwardly of those legs only a slight amount,
while the walls associated with legs 308 and 310 project
inwardly of wires 308 and 310 a greater amount to provide
support shoulders 318d. The wires that form the walls
associated with legs 308 and 310 are separate so that wires
318a and 318b now each turn inwardly at their lower ends
to define upper cross wires 319a and 319_ respectively of
the basket bottom, and additional wires 319c may be included
as needed.
The underside of basket bottom 312 is provided, adja-
cent the edges associated with opposite top frame wires
304 and 306, with spacing and stacking rails 322 of angle- -
shaped cross-section, with leg 322a serving when baskets A
and B are nested, as seen in Fig. 26, to support basket A
on the basket bottom 312 of basket B. The securement of
side wires 319a and 319b to legs 308 and 310 by wire seg-
.
ments 319d is, as seen in Fig. 23, spaced from legs 304 and
306 so as to provide unobstructed vertical slideways adja-
cent inner surfaces of wires 314 and 316, so that rails 322
move down into basket B to the position in Fig. 26. On
the other hand, when basket A is rotated 90 about a ver-
tical axis through the center of basket bottom 312, rails
322 move to the positions seen in Figs. 24 and 27 where
the horizontal leg 322b of the rails will serve as a foot
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support that engages the series of shoulder supports 31~d
so as to effect stacking of basket A on basket B.
,
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