Containers and their construction

Claim 1

A knockdown type of clothes hamper or the like formed from molded relatively rigid, but somewhat resilient plastic, said hamper being comprised of a front wall and having hingedly associated therewith two sidewalls, each of said walls having the top and bottom edge portions preformed to provide an inturned flat flange surface constituting upper and lower rim portions and, immediately adjacent said rims one or more channel-like depressions in the vertically extending surface of said walls, constituting the female member of interlocking means, said channels extending horizontally along the width of said walls; an upstanding base member constituting a one piece pedestal and bottom wall, said base member having a generally U or squareshape groove extending about its perimeter generally complementing said rims, and having one or more inwardly extending bulging portion on the outer vertical wall thereof generally co-extensive with said channels adjacent said rims and constituting the male member of interlocking means, said bulging portion being shaped, positioned and adapted to interlock with said channels in snap-in fashion when said rims on said walls are positioned in adjoining relationship and pressed thereinto; a top locking member of generally rectangular configuration and having grooves and bulging portion entirely similar to those in said base extending co-extensively with the upper rims of said walls, whereby when said locking member is pressed downwardly on said upper rims, said locking member and rims interlock to complete a unitary rigid structure; said hamper being provided with a back panel held in position in grooves in said sidewalls and base, and said locking member having a top closure hinged thereto.