Drain control for multiple stacked containers

Claim 1

A stackable, nestable container with drainage, comprising: a one-piece construction including a bottom, opposed upwardly, outwardly slanting side walls, and opposed upwardly, outwardly slanting end walls forming an open top generally rectangular container; said container including means interacting with a second identical container for stacking at least the two containers in a first stacked position wherein the bottom of the upward container is adjacent the topmost portion of the side and end walls of the lower container and a second nested position of 180° relative rotation as between said containers about a vertical axle wherein the containers are telescopically nested with the bottom of the upper container adjacent the bottom of the lower container; said means including two foot portions at the intersection of said bottom and each of said end walls, with each pair of diagonally opposite foot portions having one foot portion closely adjacent the respective side wall and the other foot portion being spaced from the respective side wall, and two seat portions adjacent the topmost portion of each end wall correspondingly closely adjacent and spaced inwardly from respective side walls, so that in said first stacked position the one end wall of the lower container is vertically aligned with the other end wall of the upward container and the foot portions engage respective seat portions to provide vertical support of the upward container on the lower container; each of said foot portions having a bottom wall with a drainage hole for draining liquid within said container through said drainage holes to the exterior of said container; a completely separate drainage channel with bottom and side walls extending from one end in each of said seat portions at a position vertically aligned with the drainage hole of an upward container in said first stacked position downwardly and outwardly directly through an adjacent wall of its container to an opposite terminal end at a position spaced outwardly from the top of said adjacent wall; said container including an integral top flange as a part of said one-piece construction that extends horizontally around the upper periphery of said side and end walls in a loop with a portion vertically spaced above and covering said channel; said terminal end having means discharging the drainage to fall freely along a vertical path spaced from said container and intersecting the top flange of the next lower container in said stacked position at a position spaced outwardly from its walls; and wall portions integrally connected in one piece with said top flange and channel walls to form a tubular passage including said channel.