Returnable crate

A returnable crate for handling, storing, and shipping heavy durable goods, comprising:

• a base frame suitable for supporting a heavy durable good to be packed, said base frame including a pair of spaced-apart outside stringers and at least one inside stringer secured by at least a pair of end slats attached at opposing distal ends of the stringers;
• a pair of opposing end frame assemblies, each end frame assembly comprising a pair of posts interconnected together and each pivotally connected at a first end to a respective first pivot bracket rigidly connected to a respective distal end of the outside stringers;
• a locking collar slidably received at a lower end of each post, movable between a first position about the connection of the post and the first pivot bracket and a second position spaced apart from said connection;
• a pair of elongate members, each connected to the locking collars for the posts in one of the end frame assemblies;
• the end frame assembly pivotally movable from a knock-down configuration with the end frame assembly folded down towards the base frame and a set-up configuration with the end frame assembly extending substantially perpendicularly from the base frame, the locking collars being moved to the first position to restrict pivoting of the end frame assembly and to the second position to permit said pivoting;
• a pair of side members, each connected at a first end to a second pivot bracket attached to a respective one of the stringers spaced apart from the first pivot bracket and detachably connected at an opposing distal end to an upper portion of the post, the side member moveable from a first position connected to the post and a second position pivoted with the opposing distal end towards the opposing second pivot bracket,
• whereby the locking collars and side members in respective first positions hold the end frame assemblies in the set-up configuration for shipment of the heavy durable good and the locking collars being moved to the second position to pivot the end frame assembly to the knock-down configuration with the side members being moved to the second position for return shipment of the crate without the heavy durable good.