Patent ID: 7591626

Claim:
A cargo storage and transportation system, said system comprising: a rectangular cargo container having a front end and a rear end, said cargo container having a bottom defining four corners, said front end corners each having an end port and a side port, said rear end corners each having a bottom port; an engagement assembly adapted to engage the container at said front end, said engagement assembly connecting with said front end side ports and at least one of said end ports; a movable carriage, said movable carriage comprising a rigid sub-frame flexibly attached to the frame and a plurality of rollers attached to the sub-frame and positioned to bear a portion of the weight of the container during loading; whereby the sub-frame tilts to accept the bottom of the container as the container is loaded and the container rolls on the rollers during loading, said movable carriage further comprising a guide having a planar face, moveable to an engaged position wherein the face is oriented toward the container when loaded, and is moveable to a disengaged position other than the engaged position, wherein the guide in the engaged position prevents the container from shifting sideways while the container is in motion; and said movable carriage further comprising a third actuator attached to the guide, configured to move the guide to the disengaged position and to the engaged position; a lift assembly pivotally affixed to the carriage, said lift assembly comprising a first arm pivotally connected to a second arm, said second arm connecting with said engagement assembly, wherein a first actuator interconnects said carriage and said first arm, and wherein a second actuator interconnects said first arm and said second arm; and a control system operable to cause the engagement assembly to engage the container, to cause the lift assembly to raise and lower the container; and to move the carriage underneath a portion of the container; whereby the container may be loaded from the ground onto the carriage without sliding any portion of the container that is in contact with the ground.