Universal wheelless carrier

Claim 2

A universal wheelless carrier mounted to a transporting vehicle's trailer hitch for transporting a load, comprising: a main elongated support member cantilevered from said trailer hitch, said main elongated support member having a first and second end, said first end adapted to be received and retained by said trailer hitch, said second end having two elongated parallel support beams, said beams slightly spaced apart and longitudinally extending generally rearward from said transporting vehicle; a first load-bearing member positioned above and transverse to said elongated parallel support beams, said first load-bearing member having two distal ends and a locating pad, said distal ends extending substantially beyond and cantilevered from said beams and said locating pad protruding from said first load-bearing member and located between said two ends, said locating pad adapted to be received between said slightly spaced apart beams; and means for fastening said first load-bearing member to said spaced apart beams.

Claim 3

The wheelless carrier of claim 1, further including a second load-bearing member positioned above and transverse to said elongated parallel support beams, said second load-bearing member having two distal ends extending substantially beyond and cantilevered from said beams and a locating pad protruding from said second load-bearing member and located between said two ends, said locating pad adapted to be received between said slightly spaced apart beams, said second load-bearing member spaced from said first load-bearing member; and means for fastening said second load-bearing member to said spaced apart beams.

Claim 4

The wheelless carrier of claim 2, wherein said slightly spaced part beams form a longitudinal gap therebetween and said locating pad of said first load-bearing member is longitudinally locatable within said gap.

Claim 5

The wheelless carrier of claim 1, wherein a portion of said first end of said main elongated support member is located between and abutted against said two elongated parallel support beams, and wherein said portion of said first end of said main elongated support member defines the spacing distance between said beams which are slightly spaced apart.

Claim 6

The wheelless carrier of claim 4, wherein two spaced portions of said first end of said main elongated support member are located between and abutted against said two elongated parallel support beams.

Claim 7

The wheelless carrier of claim 5, wherein said first and second load-bearing members have a generally large flat surface with a portion of said large flat surface adapted to receive a portion of said load for resisting any tendency of said load to move while said load is being transported.

Claim 8

The wheelless carrier of claim 5, wherein said means for fastening said first and second load-bearing members to said spaced apart beams includes means for pivoting said first and second load-bearing members with respect to said spaced apart beams, said pivoting means permitting said first and second load-bearing members to align themselves with an irregularly shaped load such that the weight of said load is borne uniformly across said first and second load-bearing members.

Claim 9

The wheelless carrier of claim 5, wherein said first and second load-bearing members support a hollow enclosure, said enclosure used to completely encapsulate said load.

Claim 10

A universal wheelless trailer mounted to a transporting vehicle's trailer hitch for transporting a load, comprising: a main elongated support member cantilevered from said trailer hitch, said main elongated support member having a first and second end, said first end adapted to be received and retained by said trailer hitch, said second end having two elongated parallel support beams, said beams slightly spaced apart and longitudinally extending generally rearward from said transporting vehicle; a first load-bearing member positioned above and transverse to said elongated parallel support beams, said first load-bearing member having two distal ends and a locating pad, said distal ends extending substantially beyond and cantilevered from said beams and said locating pad protruding from said first load-bearing member and located between said two ends, said locating pad adapted to be received between said slightly spaced apart beams; means for fastening said first load-bearing member to said spaced apart beams; a second load-bearing member positioned above and transverse to said elongated parallel support beams, said second load-bearing member having two distal ends extending substantially beyond and cantilevered from said beams and a locating pad protruding from said second load-bearing member and located generally between said two ends, said locating pad adapted to be received between said slightly spaced apart beams, said second load-bearing member spaced from said first load-bearing member; and means for fastening said second load-bearing member to said spaced apart beams.

Claim 11

A universal wheelless trailer mounted to a transporting vehicle's trailer hitch for transporting a load, comprising: a main elongated support member cantilevered from said trailer hitch, said main elongated support member having a first and second end, said first end adapted to be received and retained by said trailer hitch, said second end having two elongated parallel support beams, said beams slightly spaced apart and longitudinally extending generally rearward from said transporting vehicle; a first load-bearing member positioned above and transverse to said elongated parallel support beams, said first load-bearing member having two distal ends and a locating pad, said distal ends extending substantially beyond and cantilevered from said beams and said locating pad protruding from said first load-bearing member and located between said two ends, said locating pad adapted to be received between said slightly spaced apart beams; means for fastening said first load-bearing member to said spaced apart beams; a second load-bearing member positioned above and transverse to said elongated parallel support beams, said second load-bearing member having two distal ends extending substantially beyond and cantilevered from said beams and a locating pad protruding from said second load-bearing member and located generally between said two ends, said locating pad adapted to be received between said slightly spaced apart beams, said second load-bearing member spaced from said first load-bearing member; and means for fastening said second load-bearing member to said spaced apart beams.

Claim 12

The wheelless carrier of claim 9, wherein said slightly spaced part beams form a longitudinal gap therebetween and said locating pad of said first load-bearing member is longitudinally locatable within said gap.

Claim 13

The wheelless carrier of claim 10, wherein said locating pad of said second load-bearing member is locatable within said longitudinal gap.

Claim 14

The wheelless carrier of claim 11, wherein a portion of said first end of said main elongated support member is located between and abutted against said two elongated parallel support beams, and wherein said portion of said first end of said main elongated support member defines the spacing distance between said beams which are slightly spaced apart.

Claim 15

The wheelless carrier of claim 12, wherein two spaced portions of said first end of said main elongated support member are located between and abutted against said two elongated parallel support beams.

Claim 16

The wheelless carrier of claim 13, wherein said first and second load-bearing members have a generally large flat surface with a portion of said large flat surface adapted to receive a portion of said load for resisting any tendency of said load to move while said load is being transported.

Claim 17

The wheelless carrier of claim 13, wherein said means for fastening said first and second load-bearing members to said spaced apart beams includes means for pivoting said first and second load-bearing members with respect to said spaced apart beams, said pivoting means permitting said first and second load-bearing members to align themselves with an irregularly shaped load such that the weight of said load is borne uniformly across said first and second load-bearing members.

Claim 18

The wheelless carrier of claim 13, wherein said first and second load-bearing members support a hollow enclosure, said enclosure used to completely encapsulate said load.

Claim 19

A general purpose carrier of the type which is cantilevered from the trailer hitch of a transporting vehicle, comprising: a main support member cantilevered from said hitch, said member having a first end which is adapted to be received by said hitch and a bifurcated second end having two generally parallel laterally spaced members, said support member extending generally longitudinally rearward from said vehicle and slightly upward; first and second load-bearing members, each having two distal ends extending beyond said support member, said load-bearing members positioned transverse to and cantilevered from said support members; and means for adjustably locating said first and second load-bearing members along said main support members at locations spaced towards and away from said hitch, said means for locating being disposed between said laterally spaced members.

Claim 20

A general purpose carrier of the type which is cantilevered from the trailer hitch of a transporting vehicle, comprising: a main support member cantilevered from said hitch, said member having a first end which is adapted to be received by said hitch and a bifurcated second end having two generally parallel laterally spaced members, said support member extending generally longitudinally rearward from said vehicle and slightly upward; first and second load-bearing members, each having two distal ends extending beyond said support member, said load-bearing members positioned transverse to and cantilevered from said support members; and means for adjustably locating said first and second load-bearing members along said main support members at locations spaced towards and away from said hitch, said means for locating being disposed between said laterally spaced members.

Claim 21

The general purpose carrier of claim 17, wherein said first and second load-bearing members are cantilevered from said bifurcated second end of said main support member.

Claim 22

The general purpose carrier of claim 18, wherein said adjustable locating means includes a bolt means disposed between said bifurcations of said second end of said main support member.

Claim 23

The general purpose carrier of claim 19, wherein the space between said bifurcations of said second end is less than five inches.