Portable tank loader

Claim 1

A PORTABLE APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR TANK HANDLING APPLICATIONS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A CENTRAL SUPPORT COLUMN, A BASE PLATE CONNECTED TO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT COLUMN AND ADAPTED TO REST ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE TO BEAR THE WEIGHT OF THE TANK, A CRADLE HAVING A CONFIGURATION ADAPTED TO CONFORM TO THAT OF THE TANK BEING HANDLED, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CENTRAL COLUMN AND SUPPORTING SAID CRADLE FOR ADJUSTING THE VERTICAL HEIGHT OF SAID CRADLE, PAIRS OF HINGED NORMALLY RETRACTED LEG MEMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID APPARATUS, SAID LEG MEMBERS BEING CONNECTED TO A BRACKET ASSOCIATED TO THE UPPER REGION OF SAID CENTRAL SUPPORT COLUMN AND EXTENDING THEREFROM, SAID LEG MEMBERS INCLUDING HORIZONTAL STABILIZING MEMBERS JOINING THE LOWER PORTIONS THEREOF, AND A SLIDABLE COLLAR MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY ATTACHING SAID HORIZONTAL MEMBERS TO SAID CENTRAL SUPPORT COLUMN WHEREBY SAID NORMALLY RETRACTED LEGS MAY BE EXTENDED DURING SAID TANK HANDLING APPLICATION, SAID COLLAR MEANS BEING LIMITED IN DOWNWARD DISPLACEMENT BY SAID BASE PLATE, SAID CRADLE SUPPORTING MEANS BEING ROTATABLE IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE TO PERMIT MANUAL ROTATION OF SAID CRADLE AND ITS ASSOCIATED TANK TO THE DESIRED LOADING POSITION WITHOUT ROTATING SAID BASE PLATE OR SAID LEG MEMBERS.