Stackable and forklift positionable bulk bags

Abstract

A bulk bag includes a side wall, a bottom wall, and plurality of vertically extending pockets secured to the side wall and positioned at equally spaced locations around the periphery thereof. The pockets receive support members comprising hollow tubes which receive positioning cups at the lower ends thereof to facilitate the stacking of bulk bags one upon another. Spaced, parallel forklift tine receiving tunnels are located beneath the bottom wall and are secured either adhesively or by means of projections formed in the structure of the tunnels at spaced apart locations along the lengths thereof. The forklift tine receiving tunnels have either semicircular, rectangular, or inverted V-shaped cross sectional configurations.

1 . A bulk bag comprising: 
 at least one side wall defining an exterior periphery and having a lower edge;    a bottom wall secured to the lower edge of the side wall around the entire exterior periphery thereof;    a plurality of nominally vertically extending pockets each secured to the side wall and located at equally spaced locations around the exterior periphery of the side wall;    a plurality of support members secured in the pockets for maintaining the bulk bag in an open configuration;    a pair of spaced, parallel forklift tine receiving tunnels extending under the bottom wall for facilitating the use of forklift trucks in lifting, transporting, positioning, and stacking the bulk bag; and    the fork lift tine receiving tunnels having outwardly projecting ridges positioned at closely spaced intervals along the length thereof for securing the forklift tine receiving tunnel against longitudinal movement when the bulk bag is filled.    
   
   
       2 . The improvement according to  claim 1  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has a rectangular cross sectional configuration.  
   
   
       3 . The improvement according to  claim 1  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has angularly extending side walls.  
   
   
       4 . The improvement according to  claim 1  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels increases has increased thickness at the center of the top wall.  
   
   
       5 . The improvement according to  claim 1  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has a slot at each end which receives a fastener for securing the tunnel to a bulk bag.  
   
   
       6 . The improvement according to  claim 1  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has beveled edges at each end to facilitate movement thereof across an underlying surface.