System for handling and transporting cargo

Claim 1

IN A CARGO TRANSPORTING SYSTEM, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A CARGO CARRIER HAVING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR FLAT-BED; A VERTICALLY MOVABLE NORMALLY HORIZONTAL PLATFORM AT THE REAR OF SAID CARRIER, SAID PLATFORM BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN THE LEVEL OF THE FLAT-BED TO ANOTHER LEVEL; A PLURALITY OF CONTAINERS; AN ENDLESS CABLE SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE, SAID CABLE EXTENDING FROM THE REAR OF SAID FLAT-BED ALONG THE CENTER THEREOF TO A POSITION ADJACENT THE FRONT OF SAID FLAT-BED; MEANS FOR RESLEASABLY SECURING EACH OF SAID CONTAINERS TO SAID CABLE AT VARIOUS POSITIONS ALONG SAID CABLE; DRIVE MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CABLE IN SAID PLANE WHEREBY SAID CONTAINERS ARE DRIVEN IN A CIRCUITOUS PATH AROUND SAID FLAT-BED, SAID PLATFORM, WHEN AT THE FLATBED LEVEL, BEING IN SAID PATH; AND CLAMPING MEANS FOR EACH OF SAID CONTAINERS FOR RIGIDLY SECURING EACH OF SAID CONTAINERS TO SAID FLATBED, SAID CLAMPING MEANS COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED BRAKING SURFACE SECURED TO THE BOTTOM OF EACH OF SAID CONTAINERS, AND VERTICALLY MOVABLE BRAKE SHOE SELECTED POSITIONS ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID FLAT-BED, THE LOWER SURFACE OF EACH OF SAID BRAKE SHOES BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID BRAKING SURFACE WHEN DOWNWARDLY ACTUATED.