Flexible intermediate bulk container with fork lift guide

Abstract

A flexible intermediate bulk container. The container has walls of flexible sheet, with at least a second end enclosed with a sheet. The ends may have filling and discharge spouts. The walls of flexible sheet may have a plurality of loops external to the container and adjacent to the first end. The second end has two parallel guides formed from flexible sheet and external to the flexible intermediate bulk container. Preferably, each guide has therein a removable fork guide formed from a solid material. The guides and removable fork guides are cooperatively disposed in a spaced apart relationship and accommodate the respective forks of a fork lift,

1 . A flexible intermediate bulk container comprising walls of flexible sheet, a first end and a second end, at least said second end being enclosed with a sheet, said second end having at least one sleeve formed from flexible sheet and cooperatively disposed to accommodate the respective forks of a fork lift, said at least one sleeve being external to the flexible intermediate bulk container.  
     
     
         2 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 1    in which said second end has two parallel sleeves cooperatively disposed in a spaced apart relationship to accommodate said respective forks of the fork lift.  
     
     
         3 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 2    in which the second end is a flexible sheet.  
     
     
         4 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 2    in which said first end has means for filling the container.  
     
     
         5 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 4    in which the means to fill the container is a filling spout.  
     
     
         6 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 2    in which the second end has a discharge spout therein.  
     
     
         7 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 6    in which a cover sheet extends over the discharge spout.  
     
     
         8 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 6    in which the cover sheet extends over said sleeves.  
     
     
         9 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 2    in which the sleeves are of elongated rectangular cross-section.  
     
     
         10 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 2    in which the sleeves extend substantially for the depth of the flexible intermediate bulk container.  
     
     
         11 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 2    in which the walls of flexible sheet have a plurality of hoops extended to the container and adjacent to the first end.  
     
     
         12 . A flexible intermediate bulk container comprising walls of flexible sheet, a first end and a second end, at least said second end being enclosed with a sheet, said second end having at least one sleeve formed from flexible sheet and external to the flexible intermediate bulk container, each of said sleeves having therein a removable fork guide formed from a solid material, said sleeves and removable fork guides being cooperatively disposed to accommodate the respective forks of a fork lift.  
     
     
         13 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 12    in which said second end has two parallel sleeves cooperatively disposed in a spaced apart relationship to accommodate said respective forks of the fork lift.  
     
     
         14 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 13    in which the second end is a flexible sheet.  
     
     
         15 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 13    in which first end has means for filling the container.  
     
     
         16 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 15    in which the means to fill the container is a filling spout.  
     
     
         17 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 15    in which the second end has a discharge spout therein.  
     
     
         18 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 17    in which a cover sheet extends over the discharge spout.  
     
     
         19 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 18    in which the cover sheet extends over said sleeves.  
     
     
         20 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 13    in which the sleeves are of elongated rectangular cross-section.  
     
     
         21 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 20    in which the sleeves extend substantially for the depth of the flexible intermediate bulk container.  
     
     
         22 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 13    in which the walls of flexible sheet have a plurality of hoops extended to the container and adjacent to the first end.  
     
     
         23 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 13    in which the solid material of the fork guide is wood, cardboard, plastic or metal.  
     
     
         24 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 13    in which the removable fork guide is releasably retained in the sleeve.  
     
     
         25 . A flexible intermediate bulk container comprising walls of flexible sheet, a first end and a second end, at least said second end being enclosed with a sheet, said second end being enclosed in and secured to a removable flexible base assembly, said flexible base assembly accommodating said flexible intermediate bulk container and having therein at least one external sleeve disposed at said second end, said external sleeve being formed from flexible sheet and cooperatively disposed to accommodate the respective forks of a fort lift.  
     
     
         26 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 25    in which said flexible base assembly has two parallel sleeves cooperatively disposed in a spaced apart relationship to accommodate said respective forks of the fork lift.  
     
     
         27 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 26    in which the sleeves are of elongated rectangular cross-section.  
     
     
         28 . The flexible intermediate bulk container of    claim 26    in which the sleeves extend substantially for the depth of the flexible intermediate bulk container.  
     
     
         29 . A flexible base assembly for a flexible intermediate bulk container comprising a base and side walls, means to attach said base assembly to a flexible intermediate bulk container, said base assembly having at least one external sleeve formed from flexible sheet and cooperatively disposed to accommodate the respective forks of a fork lift.  
     
     
         30 . The flexible base assembly of    claim 29    in which said flexible base assembly has two parallel sleeves cooperatively disposed in a spaced apart relationship to accommodate said respective forks of the fork lift.  
     
     
         31 . The flexible base assembly of    claim 30    in which the sleeves are of elongated rectangular cross-section.  
     
     
         32 . The flexible base assembly of    claim 30    in which the sleeves extend substantially for the depth of the flexible intermediate bulk container.