Protective cage for excavation workers

Claim 1

A protective cage for excavation workers comprising (a) a box-like housing having defining side walls therearound and a top wall all arranged to provide an interior which serves as an enclosed protective area for a worker in the housing from cave-ins or the like in an excavation, (b) said housing having an open bottom portion to provide a digging area under said housing interior when said housing is seated on the ground in an excavation, (c) a plurality of legs on said houing extending downwardly below the bottom thereof, (d) a flat ground engaging portion on each of said legs spaced below the bottom of said housing for supporting said housing on supporting ground with the bottom thereof spaced above the supporting ground to allow a worker to dig under as well as out beyond the sides of said housing, (e) extensions on said legs projecting below said ground engaging portions arranged to pierce the ground and anchor said housing against lateral movement, (f) at least two door means spaced around said defining side walls and hinged for inward movement, (g) releasable safety chain means extending across said door means interiorly of said housing to hold said door means shut in the event of a cave-in, (h) and a lift connection on the upper portion of said housing for moving said housing into and out of as well as within an excavation by a powered lifting device.