Patent ID: 7997213

Claim:
An apparatus for supporting and reinforcing cargo containers comprising: (a) first and second cradle frames, each of said cradle frames having a horizontally oriented rectangular base frame, said base frame defining four sides and four base frame corners, support posts attached to and extending vertically upward from said base frame, a horizontally oriented top frame, said top frame defining four sides and four top frame corners around a central opening, said top frame attached to and supported on said support posts, and framing attached to said support posts, wherein said sides of said base frame and said sides of said top frame, and said framing defining an opening to said cradle frame, whereby a cargo container may be inserted; b) lifting lugs extending inwardly toward the center of said top frame from said top frame corners of each of said cradle frames, said lugs being recessed below an upper surface of said top frame whereby said lifting lugs may be attached to lifting cables from above said top frame through said central opening of said top frame; c) base frame support bars mounted to and below said base frames of each of said cradle frame, said base frame support bars extending along the periphery of each said base frame from each of said base frame corners; d) top support bars mounted to said top frame of each of said cradle frames so as to extend upward from each of said top frames, said top support bars extending along the periphery of each said top frame from each of said top frame corners, each of said top support bars being offset from said base frame support bars of said base frame of each of said cradle frames whereby said top support bars and said base frame support bars will nest side by side and interlock when said first cradle frame is stacked upon said second cradle frame; e) a horizontally oriented base frame corner plate positioned at each said base frame corner of each said cradle frame, each said base frame corner plate having a hole for receiving a pin, and a horizontally oriented top frame corner plate positioned at each said top frame corner of each said cradle frame, each said top frame corner plate having a vertically upward extending pin, whereby when said first cradle frame is lifted and stacked upon said second cradle frame, said pin of each said top frame corner plate of second cradle frame is received within a said hole of a corresponding said base frame corner plate of said first cradle frame so as to interlock said first cradle frame atop said second cradle frame; and f) a cargo container inserted upon each said base frame of each of said cradle frames.