Patent ID: 6991274

Claim:
Multipurpose spreader and cargo apparatus comprising: a horizontal spreader including a frame having a pair of downwardly open frusto pyramidal shaped hollow sockets including opposite walls diverging downwardly and outwardly, at least one of the walls of at least one of the sockets being formed with a horizontally outwardly opening window; a horizontal pivot pin mounted above at least one of the walls; a latching hook depending from the pivot pin and including a bite, the hook being rotatable between an unlatched position and a latched position with the bite projecting laterally inwardly into the window; a cargo cage including a horizontally disposed upper frame; the cage including a pair of upstanding upwardly and inwardly tapering bosses, the bosses including respective upwardly and inwardly converging opposite side walls configured to be complimentarily received in a nesting position in the respective sockets, a respective one boss to be received in the socket and including one wall being formed with an opening for receipt of the bite of the hook and having a top latch edge to be disposed, when at least one of the bosses is in the nesting position in the one of the sockets aligned over the bite of the hook when the hook is in the latched position; a keeper mounted on the at least one of the bosses adjacent the opening and rotatable from a keeping position to a release position, the keeper including an arm projecting to, when in the keeping position, engage the hook to maintain it in the hook latched position and a control link connected with the keeper to selectively shift the keeper to the keeping position.