Container for storing and transporting letter mail and other flat articles

A container for storing relatively flat articles such as letters and the like, comprising:

• a bottom member, first and second oppositely positioned side walls and first and second oppositely positioned end walls, said side walls and said end walls extending upwardly from said bottom member and interconnected to form an enclosure for receiving said articles, said bottom member having a width greater than the respective lengths of the articles to be stored in said container and a length which is substantially greater than the respective thicknesses of said articles;
• a first set of rib members extending vertically along substantially the entire height of the first side wall, transversely across said bottom member and vertically along substantially the entire height of the second wall;
• second and third sets of rib members extending vertically along substantially the entire heights of the respective first and second end walls and partially inwardly along said bottom member and terminating at respective intersections on said bottom member with respective ones of said first set of rib members which are closest to the respective first and second end walls;
• and
• a rim member extending horizontally outward from said side walls and said end walls around the perimeter of said container, said rim member, side walls, end walls and bottom member being formed as an integral unit.

A container for storing relatively flat articles such as letter mail and the like, comprising:

• a bottom member, first and second oppositely positioned side walls and first and second oppositely positioned end walls, said side walls and said end walls extending upwardly from said bottom member and interconnected to form an enclosure for receiving said articles, said bottom member having a width greater than the respective lengths of the articles to be stored in said container and a length which is substantially greater than the respective thicknesses of said articles;
• a first set of rib members extending vertically along substantially the entire height of the first end wall, longitudinally along said bottom member and vertically along substantially the entire height of the second end wall;
• second and third sets of rib members extending vertically along substantially the entire heights of the first and second respective side walls and partially inwardly across said bottom member and terminating at respective intersections on said bottom member with the respective ones of said first set of rib members which are closest to the respective first and second side walls;
• and
• a rim member extending horizontally outward from said side walls and said end walls around the perimeter of said container to facilitate handling and transport of the container, said bottom member, rim member, side walls, end walls and first, second and third sets of rib members being formed as an integral unit.

A container for storing relatively flat articles such as letters and the like, comprising:

• a bottom member and four walls extending upwardly from said bottom member and interconnected to form an enclosure for receiving said articles, said bottom member having a width greater than the respective lengths of the articles to be stored in said container and a length which is substantially greater than the respective thicknesses of said articles;
• a rim member extending horizontally outward from said walls around the perimeter of said container to facilitate handling and transport of the container, said bottom member, said four walls and said rim member being formed as an integral unit;
• a first set of rib members extending vertically along substantially the entire height of a first one of said walls, horizontally across said bottom member and vertically along substantially the entire height of a second one of said walls oppositely positioned from said first wall, said first set of rib members being disposed on respective inner surfaces of said first and second walls and said bottom member;
• a second set of rib members extending vertically on an outer surface of a third wall along substantially the entire height of said third wall, said second set of rib members being blended into said rim member adjacent to the intersection of said rim member and said third wall and into said bottom member adjacent to the intersection of said bottom member and said third wall;
• and
• a third set of rib members extending vertically on an outer surface of a fourth wall opposite from said third wall along substantially the entire height of said fourth wall, said third set of rib members being blended into said rim member adjacent to the intersection of said rim member and said fourth wall and into said bottom member adjacent to the intersection of said bottom member and said fourth wall.