Article sorter

A device for sorting articles comprising:

• a base having an upper horizontal support surface with an outer mounting edge;
• a tray having a bottom wall with an upper sorting surface and an opposite lower surface, and sidewalls extending upwardly from peripheral portions of said bottom wall;
• said tray having a discharge end, and said sidewalls having converging portions converging toward said discharge end to define a discharge opening in said sidewalls at said end;
• and
• a hinge attached to said mounting edge of said base and to said lower surface of said bottom wall of said tray to pivotably mount said tray on said base, said hinge being attached to said bottom wall at a location spaced inwardly from said discharge end to permit said tray to be pivoted between a sorting position, in which said bottom wall rests on said support surface, and a discharge position, in which said discharge end is tilted downwardly relative to said mounting edge to allow discharge of articles from said sorting surface, through said opening, into a container placed adjacent to said base;
• in which said base includes a bottom and sidewalls that define a space for storing a plurality of containers;
• in which upper portions of said sidewalls of said base form said support surface, said base has an upper opening that provides access to said space, and said tray covers said upper opening when said tray is in its sorting position;
• and
• in which said base and said upper opening have a substantially rectangular plan configuration, and said tray has a pair of substantially triangular wings coplanar with said bottom wall and positioned adjacent to said converging portions of said sidewalls of said tray, said wings and said bottom wall together covering said upper opening when said tray is in its sorting position.