Collapsible containers adapted for storing loose, flowable material

Claim 1

AN EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTABLE CONTAINER COMPRISING A PAIR OF FLAT RIGID PLATE MEMBERS LYING IN PARALLEL PLANES, A WALL MEMBER EXTENDING FROM ONE OF SAID PLATE MEMBERS TOWARDS THE OTHER PLATE MEMBER, SAID WALL MEMBER FORMING WITH SAID ONE PLATE MEMBER AN OPEN MOUTH ENCLOSURE, A FRAMEWORK INTERCONNECTING THE PLATE MEMBERS FOR PERMITTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE PLATE MEMBERS TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER, SAID FRAMEWORK COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF ELEMENTS LOCATED BETWEEN THE PLATE MEMBERS AND INCLUDING PORTIONS EXTENDING IN PLANES PARALLEL TO THE PLATE MEMBERS, LINKS LYING IN PLANES PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLATE MEMBERS AND INTERCONNECTING THE PLATE MEMBERS AND THE ELEMENTS WHICH ARE LOCATED BETWEEN THE PLATE MEMBERS, SAID LINKS LYING IN PLANES WHICH ARE BOUNDED WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE DEFINED BY SAID WALL MEMBER AND SAID ONE PLATE MEMBER, PINS HINGEABLY CONNECTING THE LINKS, TOGETHER IN THE FORM OF A LAZY TONGS LINKAGE AND PINS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE LAZY TONGS LINKAGE TO BOTH SAID PLATE MEMBERS AND THE ELEMENTS LOCATED THEREBETWEEN WHEREBY UPON EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF SAID LINKAGE SAID PLATE MEMBERS AND THE ELEMENTS LOCATED THEREBETWEEN MOVE RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER ACCORDINGLY; AND A FLEXIBLE LINING CONNECTED TO THE PLATE MEMBERS AND DEFINING A CLOSED CONTAINER ADAPTED FOR STORING MATERIAL WHICH VARIES IN VOLUME DEPENDENT UPON THE RELATIVE POSITION OF THE PLATE MEMBERS, SAID LINING BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK SO THAT THE LATTER DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH MATERIAL IN THE CLOSED CONTAINER WHEN THE LATTER IS EXPANDED AND CONTRACTED, SAID OPEN MOUTH ENCLOSURE BEING OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO ENCLOSE THE LINING AND THE FRAMEWORK WHEN THE FRAMEWORK IS COLLAPSED.