Plastic container including handle portions

1. A plastic container, which comprises:

a hollow body of plastic material having a lower supporting base, a sidewall extending upwardly from the base, a shoulder extending upwardly from the sidewall, and an upper neck portion with an opening therein extending upwardly from the shoulder, the shoulder extending upwardly along a substantial portion of the vertical distance of the upper one-half of the container and extending inwardly between the sidewall and neck portion;

wherein the container has a rectangular configuration with two longer sidewall portions that alternate with two opposing shorter sidewall portions, the opposing shorter sidewall portions each including a handle portion substantially located solely in the lower one-half of the container and comprising a through opening; each of the handle portions includes a hand grip comprising a plurality of outward protrusions on the outer side of the handle portion; and the neck portion is generally centrally located above the shoulder portion,

whereby the contents of the container can be dispensed by holding either of the handle portions.

2. A container according to claim 1 , wherein the neck portion extends upwardly for from 1.5 to 3 inches.

3. A container according to claim 1 , having a capacity of at least 4 quarts.

4. A container according to claim 3 , having a capacity of from 4 to 8 quarts.

5. A container according to claim 1 , wherein the handle portions extend substantially along the vertical extent of each of the opposing shorter sidewall portions.

6. A container according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outward protrusions on the outer side of the handle portion are spaced apart.

7. A container according to claim 1 , wherein the shoulder extends continuously upward from the sidewall to the neck portion from each of the opposing shorter sidewall portions and slopes inwardly between each of the shorter sidewall portions.

8. A container according to claim 7 , including two shoulder portions, each of which extends upwardly on the upper one-half of the container and at approximately the same upward angle.

9. A container according to claim 8 , wherein the two shoulder portions extend upwardly and inwardly along the upper one-half of the container.

10. A container according to claim 1 , wherein each handle portion is located entirely in the lower one-half of the container.