Stack and nest bail container

A container for storing items and adapted for being stacked upon and nested within a like container, comprising:

• (a) a base;
• (b) first and second pa+irs of spaced-apart, opposing sidewalls extending upwardly and outwardly from said base, said second pair of sidewalls perpendicularly disposed between and interconnecting said first pair of sidewalls to form a storage compartment;
• (c) an inward projection carried by one of said first pair of sidewalls and extending inwardly into the storage compartment;
• (d) an outward projection carried by the other of the first pair of sidewalls and extending inwardly into the storage compartment;
• (e) a pair of opposed bails, one of said bails pivotally connected to a respective one of the first pair of sidewalls and adapted for being moved between an inwardly-directed position residing within said storage compartment at a predetermined vertical position, and an outwardly-directed position residing exterior to the storage compartment;
• said inward projection, outward projection and pair of support members cooperating together for defining:
• (i) a nesting position wherein each of the bails is in said outwardly-directed position and in a non-interfering position relative to the storage compartment for permitting a like container to be received within the storage compartment, wherein the inward and outward projections on the container engage respective like inward and outward projections carried by the like container;
• (ii) a first stacking position wherein each of the bails is in the inwardly-directed position for engaging a base of the like container for permitting the like container to be stacked upon the support members at a first predetermined stacking height in spaced-apart relation above said base of the container;
• and
• (iii) a second stacking position wherein each of the bails is in the outward position and the like container is oriented 180 degrees from said first stacking position for permitting like inward and outward projections of the like container to be stacked upon the respective outwardly and inward projections of said container at a second predetermined stacking height in spaced-apart relation above the base of the container.

A container for storing items and adapted for being stacked upon and nested within a like container, comprising:

• (a) a base;
• (b) complementary pairs of spaced-apart, opposing sidewalls extending upwardly and outwardly from said base and interconnected to form a storage compartment;
• (c) an inward projection carried by one of a selected pair of said complementary sidewalls and extending inwardly into the storage compartment;
• (d) an outward projection carried by the other of said selected pair of sidewalls and extending inwardly into the storage compartment;
• (e) a pair of opposed support members, one of said support members pivotally connected to a respective one of the selected pair of sidewalls and adapted for being moved between an inwardly-directed position residing within said storage compartment at a predetermined vertical position, and an outwardly-directed position residing exterior to the storage compartment;
• said inward projection, outward projection and pair of support members cooperating together for defining:
• (i) a nesting position wherein each of the support members is in said outwardly-directed position and in a non-interfering position relative to the storage compartment for permitting a like container to be received within the storage compartment, wherein the inward and outward projections on the container engage respective like inward and outward projections carried by the like container;
• (ii) a first stacking position wherein each of the support members is in the inwardly-directed position for engaging a base of the like container for permitting the like container to be stacked upon the support members at a first predetermined stacking height in spaced-apart relation above said base of the container;
• and
• (iii) a second stacking position wherein each of the support members is in the outward position and the like container is oriented 180 degrees from said first stacking position for permitting like inward and outward projections of the like container to be stacked upon the respective outwardly and inward projections of said container at a second predetermined stacking height in spaced-apart relation above the base of the container.