BACKGROUND ART Such boxes are used particularly in certain agricultural regions but can also be used in various industries as bulk bins, specifically for economical transportation. The agricultural market requires a"knock down"bulk bin due to the requirement to transport these bulk bins economically from one region to another in different seasons.

These boxes generally comprise vertical corner brackets which are riveted or otherwise attached to the sides of the box and are fixed at their bottom ends to beams which serve to define a gap for the tines of the forklift vehicle.

Unfortunately, the conventional boxes of this type are robust and not able to be knocked down for transfer to another part of the country, as it is clearly uneconomical for them to be transferred as such due to the total volume being far too great.

It is therefore desirable that a knockdown box becomes available and it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide such a box.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for converting existing boxes (of which there are hundreds of thousands) into knockdown boxes with the minimum of expense.

PRIOR ART The closest prior art found during preliminary searches is USP 5 236 099 (Fties Youssef et al). This invention relates to a plastic knockdown stackable bin pallet which involves the use of interfitting walls and base which does not require the use of tools or fasteners. In the opinion of the Applicant the absence of fastenings is a drawback in certain circumstances and leads to instability. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a stable structure having fastening means but which is nevertheless easily assembled and disassembled, and enables the bin to be inverted for unloading without detaching from the base.

Thus, whereas Fties et al teaches the use of tongues 28 which fit into corresponding slots 20 in the base member and the use of corner pieces 36 which receive the edges of the walls and which are connected by a pin, the present invention essentially differs in that there are no interengaging tongues and grooves and that pins are secured to give the assembled box an excellent stability.

Another important advantage of the present invention is that is can be adapted to convert existing bins to knockdown bins very easily.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to the invention a knockdown bulk bin pallet including pairs of vertical side brackets for a box, the brackets having channels for receiving the edges of walls forming the box, the brackets having a vertical channel for receiving a pin having a head and having a threaded end for rotational engagement with a captive nut in the pallet portion, thereby constituting four corner units.

The joins for each pair of brackets should be robust enough for the unit to compete with the conventional boxes and the joins should also be such that the pairs are relatively easily disconnected for the box to be completely knocked down and therefore easily transported.

It will be appreciated that the pairs of brackets may simply be used to replace the existing brackets so that conventional boxes can be converted into knockdown boxes.

In one form of the invention each bracket of each pair has a formation which, when the pairs are constituted, register with a reverse formation of the other, and a pin is passed through the registering formations, the pin having a head which rests on a formation associated with the top of the resulting corner unit and having a threaded end for screwing into the nut. As mentioned above the nut is held captive in the pallet section and this allows for the lower edges of the walls to abut the top surfaces of the pallet portion to constitute an equivalent of angle irons, thereby providing great load bearing strength.

The head of the pin preferably protrudes a small distance from the top of the bracket referred to so that it provides an element which, in co-operation with a recess in the bottom of a stacked box above it, results in a stable stacking configuration. The recess may contain the captive nut referred to above and described in more detail below.

The brackets of the invention may include fillet formations which in the assembled state provide mitred corner units to prevent fruit or vegetables from being damaged at the corners of the box.

In an important aspect of the invention the brackets are identical so that there are no difficulties such as any requirement of left-hand or right-hand, inside out or outside-in, brackets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA WINGS An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an exploded view of a pair of brackets; Figure 2 is a similar view of the brackets in their joined condition;

Figure 3 is a side view of a box with the brackets in position; Figure 4 is an end view of the box of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a top plan view of the same box; Figure 6 is an isometric view of the same box; Figure 7 is an isometric view of a corner construction in expanded condition; Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the captive nut; Figure 9 is a top plan view of a box containing a plurality of sides for transport purposes; Figure 10 is an isometric view of the box shown in Figure 9; Figure 11 is a plan view of a pair of sides in juxtaposition for packing into the box as shown in Figures 9 and 10; Figure 12 is a cutaway view of a corner construction; Figure 13 is a cutaway view of an arrangement for a bracket which supports a divisional floor; and Figure 14 is a partial side view of the bracket in position on a bracket.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In Figure 1 a pair of brackets 10 is provided which are secured to timbers 12 as shown and which have semicircular formations 14. The brackets are moved into juxtaposition as shown in Figure 2 where the formations 14 are in register for receiving a pin (40-see later).

The pin passes through a top plate 20 as shown in Figures 6 and 7, and then through the registering formations 14 and thence through a bottom plate 24 after which it engages in a nut 26 by means of its threaded end 28. The nut includes serrations 25 so that it can be forced into an orifice 27 (see Figures 8 and 12). It is also provided with a gap 29 (see Figure 8) to enable the serrations to dig into the inside surface of the orifice 27 to prevent it from rotating. The bottom plate 24 includes a dished orifice 36 which serves as a guide for the threaded end of the pin. The nut also includes a skirt 33.

The bottom plate 24 is a load-bearing plate and is supported on a beam 30 as shown in Figure 3, 4 and 6.

The timbers 12 are all located in position as shown in Figures 3 to 6, the top plate 20, is located in position, the pin passing through the succession of registering formations 14 and then through the orifice 22 of the bottom plate 24 and into an orifice 27 formed in the beam 30 and provided with the captive nut as described above.

The pin 40 has a head 42 with orifices 44 which receive the tongues of a tool so that it can be turned for the threaded end 28 to be secured in the nut. The thread is preferably coarse so that only a couple of turns are required.

The head 42 protrudes a short distance above the plane of the top of the box and will engage in the skirt 33 when stacked so that a stable stacking configuration is obtained.

Reverting to Figure 2, it will be seen that the configuration of the brackets provides for a corner gusset or fillet 32 to be formed to protect the fruit or the like in the corners.

In order to disassemble the box it is merely necessary to release the nut, withdrawn the pin and then lie the pairs of sides on top of each other, shown in Figure 11.

In constructing a bin of the invention the bottom plates are gang nailed to the corners of the beams 30 of the pallet portion. The brackets 10 are then located in position and affixed as shown in Figure 1 and adjusted as in Figure 2 for registration of the semicircular formations 14. The top plates are placed in position at the corners and the pins dropped therethrough and through the registering formations, through the orifice 36 of the bottom plates and then turned to engage the nut.

When it is desired to knock down the bin, the pins are loosened merely by use of the tool as mentioned above and then withdrawn. The sides are then free to be stacked as shown in Figure 11 and packed into an existing bin as shown in Figures 9 and 10. The sides of five bins are shown. to be contained in the one transport bin.

Where it is required to separate layers of fruit, vegetables or the like, dividing board (not shown) may be provided which is supported on brackets 60. These include ears 62 which engage in slots 64 on the brackets at a substantially central location. A more detailed illustration of this is provided in Figures 13 and 14.

In Figure 12 the details of a corner construction is shown. An orifice 27 is formed towards the end of a beam 30., A nut 26 with serrations is forced into this orifice so that that serrations resist removal of the nut. The nut also includes a gap 29 which enables the serrations to dig into the surface of the orifice and thereby prevent rotation of the nut. The nut also includes a skirt 33 which receives the head 42 of the bolt when stacked.