Stack and nest bail container

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

• (a) a base;
• (b) first and second pairs 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) first and second pair of opposed support members, each of said pairs of support members pivotally connected to a respective one of the opposing sidewalls and adapted for being moved between an inwardly-directed position residing within said storage compartment at a predetermined vertical position therein and an outwardly-directed position residing exterior to the storage compartment 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 therein;
• (ii) a first stacking position wherein said first pair of the support members is in the outwardly-directed position and said second pair of the support members is in the inwardly-directed position and adapted for engaging a base of a like container in a first interfering relationship for permitting the like container to be stacked upon the second pair of 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 said first pair of the support members is in the inwardly-directed position and adapted for engaging the base of the like container in a second interfering relationship for permitting the like container to be stacked upon the first pair of support members at a second predetermined stacking height from the base of the container, wherein said second stacking height is greater than said first stacking height.