Cover system for open-topped containers
AssigneeAero Industries, Inc.
InventorTimothy K. Searfoss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An arm assembly for a cover system includes a force mechanism contained within a hollow arm of the assembly that includes a resiliently compressible element, such as a compression spring, with a cable or wire extending through the element. The cable is fastened at one end to an end cap that bears against one end of the compression spring. The opposite end of the cable is fastened to a base mounted to the container body. The base includes a pulley about which the cable is wound as the arm pivots relative to the base. As the arm pivots and the cable winds about the pulley, the end cap bears against the spring to compress the spring.
Claims19
An arm assembly for a cover system to cover the open top of a container, comprising:
- a pulley including an outer curved surface;
- an elongated housing with one end pivotably mounted on said pulley, said housing defining an elongated bore extending from said one end at least part way through said housing;
- a resiliently compressible element disposed within the elongated bore, the compressible element having an inboard end positioned at one end of said bore adjacent said pulley, and an opposite outboard end;
- a spring base fixed to said elongated housing adjacent said one end to support said compressible element at said inboard end thereof;
- a base mountable on the container and supporting said pulley;
- a cable extending through said compressible element, one end of said cable engaged to said outboard end of said compressible element, said cable wrapped around at least a portion of said outer curved surface of said pulley and including an opposite end extending outward from said pulley;
- and
- a cable mount supported by said base separate from said pulley and configured to fix said opposite end of said cable to said base,
- whereby as said housing pivots relative to said pulley said cable wraps further around said outer curved surface of said pulley to thereby compress said compressible element between said one end of said cable and said spring base.
An arm assembly kit for a cover system to cover the open top of a container, comprising:
- a pulley including an outer curved surface defined at a diameter, said pulley selected from a plurality of pulleys each having a successively larger diameter;
- an elongated housing with one end pivotably mounted on said pulley, said housing defining an elongated bore extending from said one end at least part way through said housing;
- a resiliently compressible element disposed within the elongated bore, the compressible element having an inboard end positioned at one end of said bore adjacent said pulley, and an opposite outboard end;
- a spring base fixed to said elongated housing adjacent said one end to support said compressible element at said inboard end thereof;
- a cable extending through said compressible element, one end of said cable engaged to said outboard end of said compressible element, said cable engaging at least a portion of said outer curved surface of said pulley and including an opposite end extending outward from said pulley;
- and
- a cable mount configured to fix said opposite end of said cable in relation to said pulley,
- whereby as said housing pivots relative to said pulley said cable wraps around said outer curved surface of said pulley to thereby compress said compressible element between said one end of said cable and said spring base;
- and
- whereby the successively larger diameters of said plurality of pulleys produces increasingly greater compression of said compressible element as said housing pivots, said pulley being selected from said plurality of pulleys based on a desired compression of said compressible element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.