Abstract:
An article carrier especially useful for supporting and carrying paper grocery bags includes a rigid, substantially planar upright member and a pair of rigid, substantially planar support members. The support members are hinged to a bottom end of the upright member and are independently movable between raised and lowered positions. When both of the support members are in the lowered position, a contacting edge surface defined by one of the support members contacts a mating contacting edge surface defined by the other support member and a contacting edge surface defined by the bottom of the upright member contacts both of the support members. The mutual contact between the support member contacting surfaces the contact between the support members and the upright member contacting surface retains the support members perpendicular to the upright member under load without need for additional linkages between the upright member and the support members. Hooks fixed to the upper end of the upright member are used to support looped articles such as key rings. Retaining devices fixed to the upper end of the upright member retain the edges of paper grocery bags to lessen movement of the grocery bags with respect to the article carrier during transportation.