Shipping container

Claim 2

A shipping container comprising: a. a shell including a plurality of parts and connecting means for releasably connecting said parts, 1. the connected parts of the said shell bounding a cavity; b. a plurality of elongated, rigid base members mounted on said shell in said cavity in spaced relationship; c. a set of three elongated, resilient tension elements associated with each base member, 1. each tension element having first and second longitudinally terminal portions; a. three first fastening means longitudinally spaced on each base member and respectively fastening the first longitudinally terminal portions of the associated tension elements to the base member,

Claim 3

one of said three first fastening means being interposed between the other two first fastening means, 2. the tension elements fastened to said base member by said other two first fastening means being more resilient than the tension element fastened to said base member by said one first fastening means; e. second fastening means fastening the second longitudinally terminal portions of said tension elements associated with each base member to each other; and f. attaching means for attaching said second fastening means to a load suspended in said cavity by said tension elements, 1. said associated tension elements converging from said first toward said second fastening means.

Claim 4

one of said three first fastening means being interposed between the other two first fastening means, 2. the tension elements fastened to said base member by said other two first fastening means being more resilient than the tension element fastened to said base member by said one first fastening means; e. second fastening means fastening the second longitudinally terminal portions of said tension elements associated with each base member to each other; and f. attaching means for attaching said second fastening means to a load suspended in said cavity by said tension elements, 1. said associated tension elements converging from said first toward said second fastening means.

Claim 5

A shipping container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tension elements consist essentially of elastomeric material, the modulus of elasticity of the material in the tension element fastened to said base member by said one first fastening means being higher than the modulus of elasticity of the material in the tension elements fastened to said base member by said other two first fastening means.

Claim 6

A shipping container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shell has a polygonal top face, a polygonal bottom face, and side edges connecting respective corners of said faces, said base member extending along respective side edges, said three first fastening means being secured respectively to the two longitudinal end portions and to a longitudinal central portion of said base member, said end portions being offset from said central portion toward a load suspended by said tension members.

Claim 7

A shipping container as set forth in claim 3, wherein said second fastening means include a connector member secured to the second longitudinally terminal portions of the tension elements associated with each base member, and said attaching means include means for attaching said connector member to said load.

Claim 8

A shipping container as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a carrier for said load, said attaching means attaching said carrier to said connector member, said tension elements being stressed under tension when said connector members are attached to said carrier.

Claim 9

A shipping container as set forth in claim 3, mounting means releasably mounting each base member to said shell in said cavity.

Claim 10

A shipping container as set forth in claim 6, further comprising reinforcing ribs on said shell extending along respective side edges, said mounting means releasably mounting said base members to said reinforcing ribs.

Claim 11

A shipping container as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a carrier adapted to carry said load and attached by said attaching means to said tension elements, said base members being elongated in a common direction transverse to said tension elements, each base member having two longitudinal end portions and a central portion, said three first fastening means being secured to said portions of said base member respectively, said end portions defining a line of reference, and said central portion being offset from said line in a direction away from said carrier.

Claim 12

A shipping container as set forth in claim 8 wherein said sets of tension elements extend in respective common planes, said planes angularly intersecting each other in said carrier.

Claim 13

A shipping container as set forth in claim 1, further comprising three additional, elongated, resilient tension elements associated with each base member, each of said additional tension elements having first and second longitudinally terminal portions; three third fastening means longitudinally spaced on each base member and respectively fastening the first longitudinally terminal portions of each of said associated additional tension members to said base member, at least one of the associated additional tension elements being less resilient than the tension elements of the set fastened to the same base member by said first fastening means; and fourth fastening means for fastening the second longitudinally terminal portions of the three additional tension elements associated with each base member to each other and to said load.