Patent ID: RE38895

Claim:
A cargo carrier for attachment to a vehicle, comprising: a first platform section having an end wall and first and second side walls extending off from opposite ends of said end wall and having respective free ends, said first platform section further comprising an inner cargo support region extending between said side walls; a second platform section having an end wall and first and second side walls extending off from opposite ends of the end wall of said second platform section and having respective free ends, said second platform section further comprising an inner cargo support region extending between the side walls of said second platform section; and wherein the free end of the first side wall of said first platform section and the free end of the first side wall of said second platform are in a first nested relationship upon assembly due to an offset provided in the free end of one of the nested first side walls and an extension provided in the free end of an opposite one of the nested first side walls which extension is designed for reception in said offset; and wherein the free end of the second side wall of said first platform section and the free end of the second side wall of said second platform are in a second nested relationship upon assembly due to an offset provided in the free end of one of the nested second side walls and an extension provided in the free end of an opposite one of the nested second side walls, which extension of the nested second side walls is designed for reception in the offset of the nested second side walls; a receiver bar having a first end for securement to a vehicle and an elongated main body extending to a second end along a direction of elongation; a tie plate, said tie plate being dimensioned so as to extend in the direction of elongation of the receiver bar between the free ends forming said first and second nested relationships, and said tie plate having a width in a direction transverse to the direction of elongation of the receiver bar sufficient to extend to an interior portion of the inner cargo support region of said first platform section and an interior portion of the inner cargo support region of said second platform section upon the side walls being in said first and second nested relationship; said tie plate, the interior portions of the inner cargo support regions of said first and second platform sections and the main body of said receiver bar being in a stacked relationship upon assembly; first and second bridge supports spaced apart with respect to the direction of elongation of said receiver bar and each having in intermediate section to contact with the receiver bar and outward ends extending to supporting contact with respective platform sections at location transversely outward of said tie plate; a plurality of fasteners which, upon assembly of the cargo carrier, fasten respective free ends of the first and second nested relationships and the tie plate to the receiver bar.