Cradle for supporting free weight assembly

A cradle for supporting an adjustable free weight assembly in a cradled position, the free weight assembly comprising first and second weight plate sets comprising a plurality of weight plates, each weight plate comprising a plate portion and a locking element for selectively securing the weight plate to an adjacent weight plate, each weight plate further comprising a central opening for receiving a selector shaft of the free weight assembly for retaining the weight plate to the free weight assembly, said cradle comprising;

• first and second end walls spaced apart from one another along a longitudinal axis of the cradle and partially defining a cavity sized to receive the free weight assembly therein in the cradled position such that the first weight plate set is located adjacent the first end wall and the second weight plate set is located adjacent the second end wall, each of the first and second end walls comprising a plate-engaging portion and a locking element-engaging portion extending longitudinally inward from the plate engaging portion, the plate-engaging portion of each end wall being shaped and arranged to engage the plate portion of an outermost one of the weight plates in the respective weight plate set and the locking element-engaging portion being shaped and arranged to engage the locking element of the respective outermost one of the weight plates when the free weight assembly is in the cradled position, the engagement between the first and second end walls and the outermost plates of the first and second weight plate sets substantially inhibiting the adjustable free weight assembly from moving along the longitudinal axis from the cradled position;
• and
• first and second side walls spaced apart from one another along a lateral axis of the cradle and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cradle to further define the weight assembly cavity, the first and second side walls each having top and bottom edges and an inboard surface extending between the top and bottom edges, the inboard surface sloping laterally inwardly as it extends from adjacent the top edge toward the bottom edge, the inboard surfaces of the first and second side walls being adapted to engage portions of at least the first weight plate set to substantially inhibit the first weight plate set from moving parallel to the lateral axis and toward the bottom edges of the first and second side walls, the configuration of the inboard surfaces of the first and second side walls aligning the weight plates both vertically and horizontally so that the central openings are substantially concentric.