Lift system and method for moving a metal frame cabinet

A lifting saddle assembly for use on a floor jack to lift a cabinet with a base periphery defined by sheet metal walls, wherein each of said sheet metal walls has a first thickness, and wherein the floor jack selectively lifts and lowers said lifting saddle assembly, said lifting saddle assembly comprising:

• a base plate that is raised and lowered by said floor jack;
• crossbars connected to said base plate in parallel, wherein said crossbars have a length between two opposed ends, wherein said length is selectively adjustable;
• and
• slotted heads that terminate said crossbars at said opposed ends, wherein said slotted heads defines open vertical slots that are sized to receive said first width of said sheet metal walls therein, and wherein said open vertical slots are sized to support said sheet metal walls and prevent said sheet metal walls from buckling within said open vertical slots.

A method of lifting a cabinet having sheet metal walls that are separated by a given width, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a floor jack having a lifting saddle, wherein said lifting saddle has adjustable crossbars with slotted heads that contain vertical slots of a uniform width, wherein said uniform width of each of said vertical slots is just sized to receive one of said sheet metal walls therein, and said uniform width of each of said vertical slots is sized to support one of said sheet metal walls and prevent said sheet metal walls from buckling within said vertical slots;
• adjusting said adjustable crossbars to set said slotted heads at a distance apart equal to said given width of said sheet metal walls;
• tilting said cabinet and advancing said lifting saddle under said cabinet;
• lowering said cabinet onto said lifting saddle wherein said sheet metal walls are received within said vertical slots of said slotted heads on said crossbars;
• and
• raising said lifting saddle and said cabinet with said floor jack.