Container having removable closures

Abstract

A container, particularly useful with steam tables, comprises an open top box like member which is provided with means extending between and supported by opposed side walls of the box like member and which means are constructed to form at least one slot. A pair of lids each having planar means depending from the bottom surface thereof are positioned over the box like member with the depending planar means in the slot so that a lid may be moved to an opened position, be retained in the opened position by its own construction while something is removed from the box like member and then returned to a closed position or, if desired, the lid may be removed completely from the box like member.

What is claimed is: .[.1. A container comprising: 
     
        in operative position..]. 4. A container .[.as in claim 3.]. .Iadd.comprising: an open top box like member having a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls;   means extending between and supported by a pair of opposed side walls and having means defining at least one slot;   at least one lid having a bottom surface, portions of which are adapted to be supported by a plurality of said side walls;   planar means depending from said bottom surface and having at least a portion thereof located within said slot when said lid is in an operative position;   said means extending between and supported by a pair of opposed side walls is provided with means defining at least two spaced apart slots;   said slots are located to be in alignment;   said means depending from said bottom surface comprises at least portions thereof in each of said slots when said lid is in operative position;   supporting shoulders on the top edges of said side walls;   at least two lids of similar structure said planar means depending from the bottom surface of each lid being adjacent to each other when said lids are in operative position; and .Iaddend.wherein said means extending between and supported by a pair of opposed side walls comprises:   an elongated member having means adjacent each extremity thereof in contact with said supporting shoulders;   means on said elongated member for defining said at least two spaced apart slots; and   means extending between said means adjacent each extremity of said elongated member for receiving and retaining fluid dripping from the said bottom surface of said lid when said lid is in an open position over said   
     
     
        pan like member. 5. A container as in claim 4 wherein said means for receiving and retaining fluid dripping from said bottom surface comprises: a trough extending between and connected to said means adjacent each   
     
     
        extremity of said elongated member. 6. A container as in claim 5 wherein: said means depending from said bottom surface of said lid is continuous   
     
     
        between said means adjacent each extremity of said elongated member. 7. A container as in claim 6 and further comprising: a pair of opposed projections extending from said trough adjacent each of said means adjacent each extremity of said elongated member; and   each of said pair of opposed projections being bent inwardly toward each   
     
     
        other so as to form said spaced apart aligned slots. 8. A container as in claim 6 and further comprising: a U-shaped member secured to each of said means adjacent each extremity of said elongated member so that the base and portions of the legs of said U-shaped member are located over said trough; and   apertures in said means depending from said bottom surface of said lid and portions of said lid for receiving at least portions of said bases of said   
     
     
        U-shaped members. 9. A container as in claim 6 and further comprising: a shoulder formed on the upper edges of said trough for providing   
     
     
        additional support for said lid. 10. A container as in claim 9 wherein: the means defining said slots and said means depending from said bottom surface of said lid are shaped to cooperate in holding said lid in an opening position at an angle slightly greater than about 90° from   
     
     
        the top of said box like member. 11. A container as in claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.4 .Iaddend.and further comprising: supporting shoulders on the top edges of said side walls; and   at least two lids of similar structure with said planar means depending from the bottom surface of each lid being adjacent to each other when said   
     
     
        lids are in operative position. 12. A container as in claim 11 wherein said means extending between and supported by a pair of opposed side walls comprises: an elongated member having means adjacent each extremity thereof in contact with said shoulders; and   means secured to each of said means in contact with said shoulder for   
     
     
        providing a continuous slot therebetween. 13. A container as in claim 12 wherein: same means depending from said bottom surfaces of said lids are continuous and have a length slightly less than the length of said continuous slot.   
     
     
          . A container as in claim 13 wherein: said means adjacent each extremity of said elongated member extends over a portion of the top surface of said shoulders and around the edges of said shoulders to provide for a sliding relationship of said elongated member   
     
     
        over said shoulders. 15. A container as in claim 13 and further comprising: means for providing a fixed location for said contact between said shoulders and said means adjacent each extremity of said elongated member.   
     
     
        6. A container as in claim 12 and further comprising: a T-shaped member positioned so that the stem thereof passes through said slot and the arms thereof are around portions of said means for providing said slot to divide said slot into two slots;   at least four lids; and   planar means depending from the bottom surface of each of said lids and located in said slots between said T-shaped member and said means adjacent   
     
     
        each extremity of said elongated member. 17. A container as in claim 16 wherein: at least two of said four lids have an area larger than the other two of said four lids so that portions of said two larger lids extend over   
     
     
        portions of said other two lids. 18. A container as in claim 17 wherein: said planar means forms an angle of about 90° with said bottom   
     
     
        surface. 19. A container as in claim 13 wherein: said planar means forms an angle of about 90° with each bottom   
     
     
        surface. 20. A container as in claim 19 and further comprising: means for providing a fixed location for said contact between said shoulders and said means adjacent each extremity of said elongated member.   
     
     
        .Iadd.21.  A container for use in steam tables for holding food to be dispensed therefrom comprising: an open top box like member having a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls;   an elongated member extending between and supported by a pair of opposed side walls and having at least one slot formed therein;   at least one lid having top and bottom surfaces with portions of said bottom surface being supported by a plurality of said side walls when said at least one lid is in a closed position;   at least one edge depending downwardly from said bottom portion with portions thereof having planar surfaces facing in opposite directions and having portions thereof located in said at least one slot so that said at least one edge may be readily positioned in said at least one slot to assist in retaining said at least one lid at a relatively fixed position when said at least one lid is in a closed position or to assist in retaining said at least one lid in an opened position and for permitting said edge to be readily removed from said at least one slot when it is desired to separate said at least one lid from said box like member without any alteration of said planar surface characteristics;   said elongated member having top and bottom surfaces; and   said planar surfaces extending downwardly through said at least one slot so that other portions of said planar surfaces are located below said bottom   
     
     
        surface of said elongated member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22.  A container as in claim 21 and further comprising: said at least one edge having a length less than the length of said bottom surface in the same direction so as to provide spaced apart edge free ends located to contact portions of said elongated member supported by said opposed side walls; and   said edge free ends cooperating with said at least one edge and portions of said elongated member forming at least a portion of said slot to provide pivot means for providing pivotal movement of said at least one lid between said closed and opened positions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. A container as in claim 22 and further comprising:   holding means for holding said at least one lid in an opened position after it has been moved from a closed position to an opened position through an angle greater than 90 degrees. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. A container as in claim 23 wherein said holding means comprises:   at least portions of said at least one edge in contact with portions of said elongated member adjacent to said slot; and   said edge free ends in contact with said portions of said elongated member   
     
     
        supported by said opposed side walls. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25.  A container as in claim 21 and further comprising: said at least one edge having a length less than the length of said bottom surface in the same direction so as to provide spaced apart edge free ends located to contact portions of said elongated member supported by said opposed side walls; and   said edge free ends cooperating with said at least one edge and portions of said elongated member forming at least a portion of said slot to provide pivot means for providing pivotal movement of said at least one lid between said closed and opened positions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. A container as in claim 25 and further comprising:   holding means for holding said at least one lid in an opened position after it has been moved from a closed position to an opened position through an angle greater than 90 degrees. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. A container as in claim 23 wherein said holding means comprises:   at least portions of said at least one edge in contact with portions of said elongated member adjacent to said slot; and   said edge free ends in contact with said portions of said elongated member supported by said opposed side walls. .Iaddend.