Patent ID: 7371038

Claim:
A trailer for transporting a container, said container being provided with lifting holes at least at each corner thereof; said trailer comprising: a generally U-shaped frame, the front thereof being provided with means for removably attaching said trailer to a tractor, said generally U-shaped frame being shaped and sized to receive said container within said frame, said frame being provided with wheels on each side of said frame; a plurality of retractable lifting members, each retractable lifting member being positioned proximate a lifting hole of said container when said container is received within said frame, said retractable lifting members being movable between an inoperative position where said lifting members are disengaged from said lifting holes, and an operative position where said lifting members engage said lifting holes and are extendable to lift said container, wherein said lifting members each comprise a hydraulic cylinder provided with a lifting hook, each said lifting hook being inwardly biased with respect to the frame, and wherein each of said hydraulic cylinders are housed within a corresponding substantially vertical beam fastened to said frame, and wherein said vertical beams comprise front vertical beams interconnected at a top portion thereof with a top cross members, and wherein said vertical beams comprise rear vertical beams interconnected at a top portion thereof with another top cross members; and wherein each of said vertical beams include a vertical slot having a predetermined length, whereby when the lifting members are in said inoperative position, said hydraulic cylinders are retracted and said lifting hooks are located within the corresponding vertical beam below a bottom end of said vertical slot, and wherein when said cylinders are extended, said lifting hooks reach said bottom end of said vertical slots and said inward biasing causes said hooks to deploy outside of said vertical slot until contact with said lifting holes of said container, and wherein each of said lifting hooks engage said lifting holes and lift said container while translating vertically along said predetermined lengths until a top portion of said container contacts a bottom portion of each of said top cross members; and means for controlling said plurality of lifting members.