Cargo-carrying ice chest attachment

Abstract

A boxed caddy or pallet suitable for quick installation and removal on top of a rolling ice chest or similar hexahedral appliance, into to which goods can be piled for transportation to a beach or picnic site. The caddy folds flat for convenient storing into a car trunk. The multi-railed sides of the caddy are telescopically adjustable. Brackets projecting downwardly from the lower edges of the sides come to rest against the walls of the appliance, thus providing bi-directional horizontal stability. Adjustable stabilization straps can conveniently be secured between the caddy and appliance. The caddy has a removable top cover and can double as a small table.

1 . A caddy for mounting on the top of a hexahedral structure such as an ice chest having two pairs of opposite sidewalls, said caddy comprising:
 a pair of first opposite, vertical, substantially symmetrical sides;   a pair of second opposite, vertical, substantially symmetrical sides, each of said second sides being connected to said first sides;   a least one post extending substantially downwardly from each one of said pair of sides; and,   said sides and post being shaped and dimensioned to place said post in contact with one of said sidewalls when said caddy is mounted on said structure.   
     
     
         2 . The caddy of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said pairs of sides is horizontally extendable. 
     
     
         3 . The caddy of  claim 2 , which further comprises means for locking said extendable sides into a fixed dimension. 
     
     
         4 . The caddy of  claim 1 , wherein each of said sides is hingedly connected at opposite ends to two other sides. 
     
     
         5 . The caddy of  claim 2 , wherein each of at least one of said pairs of sides comprises at least two spaced apart horizontal rods. 
     
     
         6 . The caddy of  claim 5 , wherein each of said rods in each of said extendable sides comprises a first tubular portion and a second portion telescopically engaged into said first portion. 
     
     
         7 . The caddy of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said pairs of sides comprises an upper and a lower horizontal rod;
 each of said post comprises a L-Shaped member having an horizontal section connected to one of said lower rails and a second section perpendicular to said horizontal section.   
     
     
         8 . The caddy of  claim 7 , wherein said horizontal section is rotatively connected to said lower rod to allow said second section to be moved from an horizontal to a vertical position. 
     
     
         9 . The caddy of  claim 8 , wherein said horizontal section is slidingly connected to said lower rod. 
     
     
         10 . The caddy of  claim 9 , wherein each of said L-shaped members projects outwardly from one of said sides. 
     
     
         11 . The caddy of  claim 10 , which further comprises means for locking said members against sliding and rotating movements. 
     
     
         12 . The caddy of  claim 1 , which further comprises at least one adjustable strap securing said caddy to said structure.