Locking material-handling tray

Claim 2

An article handling tray comprising: A. a planar base portion, B. a pair of spaced pedestals extending from the plane of said base portion, C. indentations in adjacent sides of said pair of pedestals, said indentations having completely enclosed walls at least two of which walls are parallel to said planar base portion for locking said article to said tray between said pedestals, and D. a groove as a side entry channel into one of said indentations, said groove having opposite side walls, one of which has a slight angle to said planar base portion and the other which has a step portion adjacent said one indentation.

Claim 3

A tray according to claim 1 wherein said base portion between said pair of pedestals is provided with a seat portion extending from said base portion for said article.

Claim 4

A tray according to claim 2 wherein said base portion includes a rim portion around its periphery extending from said base portion at least as far as said seat portion.

Claim 5

An article carrying tray comprising: A. a planar base, B. at least one U-shaped pedestal having a pair of vertical legs and a base portion projecting upwardly from the upper surface of said base, C. said U-shaped pedestal having aligned locking indentations provided in the opposite faces of said vertical legs thereof, said indentations having completely enclosed walls at least two of which walls are parallel to said planar base for locking an aritcle thereof, and D. an inclined groove as a side entry channel to one of each complementary facing pair of said indentations.

Claim 6

An article carrying tray comprising: A. a planar base, B. at least one U-shaped pedestal having a pair of vertical legs and a base portion projecting upwardly from the upper surface of said base, C. said U-shaped pedestal having aligned locking indentations provided in the opposite faces of said vertical legs thereof, said indentations having completely enclosed walls at least two of which walls are parallel to said planar base for locking an aritcle thereof, and D. an inclined groove as a side entry channel to one of each complementary facing pair of said indentations.

Claim 7

An article carrying tray accoridng to claim 4 wherein said base portion of said U-shaped pedestal has an article receiving cavity therein for stacking trays of articles.

Claim 8

An article receiving tray according to claim 4 wherein the vertical legs of said U-shaped pedestals have tapered sides for nesting trays when empty of articles.

Claim 9

A material handling tray for locking material between a pair of cooperating recesses in adjacent pedestals on said tray, comprising: A. a planar tray portion having an offset portion extending from one side thereof, B. a pair of pedestals on opposite sides of said offset portion and extending from said planar tray portion on said one side, C. said pedestals having a pair of complementary recesses facing said offset portion, and said recesses having completely enclosed walls at least two of which walls are parallel to said planar tray portion, and D. one of said recesses having a side groove having one sloping wall and an opposite stepped wall for insertion, locking, and removal of one side of an article held between said recesses, while the other side of said offset portion provides a seat for the other side of an article held in a tray below.

Claim 10

A material handling tray for locking material between a pair of cooperating recesses in adjacent pedestals on said tray, comprising: A. a planar tray portion having an offset portion extending from one side thereof, B. a pair of pedestals on opposite sides of said offset portion and extending from said planar tray portion on said one side, C. said pedestals having a pair of complementary recesses facing said offset portion, and said recesses having completely enclosed walls at least two of which walls are parallel to said planar tray portion, and D. one of said recesses having a side groove having one sloping wall and an opposite stepped wall for insertion, locking, and removal of one side of an article held between said recesses, while the other side of said offset portion provides a seat for the other side of an article held in a tray below.

Claim 11

A material handling tray for articles having a pair of oppositely projecting flanged portions, said tray comprising: a. a pair of pedestals between which one of said articles is to be held, b. said pair of pedestals having complementary indented recesses with completely enclosed walls at least two of which walls are parallel to the surface of said tray for locking said flanged portions of said article, c. one of said recesses having an entry groove for guiding one of said flanged portions after the other flanged portion is located in the other complementary recess, and d. said groove having one side tapered to wedge one side of said flanged portions into said one recess, and the other side of said groove having a step adjacent said recess for locking said flange portion in said recess and between both said recesses.

Claim 12

A material handling tray for articles having a pair of oppositely projecting flanged portions, said tray comprising: a. a pair of pedestals between which one of said articles is to be held, b. said pair of pedestals having complementary indented recesses with completely enclosed walls at least two of which walls are parallel to the surface of said tray for locking said flanged portions of said article, c. one of said recesses having an entry groove for guiding one of said flanged portions after the other flanged portion is located in the other complementary recess, and d. said groove having one side tapered to wedge one side of said flanged portions into said one recess, and the other side of said groove having a step adjacent said recess for locking said flange portion in said recess and between both said recesses.

Claim 13

A molded plastic material handling tray comprising: A. a planar base portion, B. a plurality of pedestals offset above one side of said planar base portion, said pedestals having tapered sides for nesting with another tray, C. a pair of indented recesses in said pedestals substantially parallel to said base portion, said recesses in adjacent pedestals being complementary to each other, and D. a side opening groove in one of said recesses, said groove having one side inclined toward one side of its said recess and its other side stepped to the other side of its said recess to lock the material to be held between said complementary recesses.

Claim 14

A molded plastic material handling tray comprising: A. a planar base portion, B. a plurality of pedestals offset above one side of said planar base portion, said pedestals having tapered sides for nesting with another tray, C. a pair of indented recesses in said pedestals substantially parallel to said base portion, said recesses in adjacent pedestals being complementary to each other, and D. a side opening groove in one of said recesses, said groove having one side inclined toward one side of its said recess and its other side stepped to the other side of its said recess to lock the material to be held between said complementary recesses.