Tarpaulin retraction and extension device

An assembly, comprising:

• a container defining a top aperture, said top aperture defining substantially opposed aperture first and second end edges and substantially opposed aperture first and second side edges extending therebetween;
• a tarpaulin configurable between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, wherein, in said extended configuration, said tarpaulin substantially covers said top aperture, and in said retracted configuration, said tarpaulin is substantially retracted from said top aperture and substantially adjacent said aperture first end edge;
• and
• a device for manipulating said tarpaulin so as to selectively cover and uncover said top aperture, said device comprising:
• a guide mounted to said container so as to extend along said aperture first side edge, said guide defining substantially opposed guide first and second ends located respectively substantially adjacent said aperture first and second end edges;
• a stopper positioned at a stopping location along said guide;
• a caddie mounted to said guide and movable therealong between said guide second end and said stopping location, said stopper being configured and sized for preventing movements of said caddie away from said guide second end beyond said stopping location;
• a tarpaulin rod support defining a pivot section and a tarpaulin rod supporting section spaced apart therefrom, said tarpaulin rod support being pivotally mounted to said caddie in said pivot section;
• a tarpaulin rod for rolling said tarpaulin therearound when configuring said tarpaulin from said extended configuration to said retracted configuration and for unrolling said tarpaulin therefrom when configuring said tarpaulin from said retracted configuration to said extended configuration, said tarpaulin rod defining a rod longitudinal axis, said tarpaulin rod being rotatably mounted to said tarpaulin rod support in said tarpaulin rod supporting section so as to be rotatable about said rod longitudinal axis, said rod longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to said aperture first end edge;
• and
• an actuator operatively coupled to said tarpaulin rod for selectively rotating said tarpaulin rod about said rod longitudinal axis to selectively roll said tarpaulin therearound and unroll said tarpaulin therefrom to respectively move said tarpaulin to said retracted and extended configurations.

A device for manipulating a tarpaulin so as to selectively cover and uncover a top aperture of a container, said top aperture defining substantially opposed aperture first and second end edges and substantially opposed aperture first and second side edges extending therebetween, said tarpaulin being configurable between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, wherein, in said extended configuration, said tarpaulin substantially covers said top aperture, and in said retracted configuration, said tarpaulin is substantially retracted from said top aperture and substantially adjacent said aperture first end edge, said device comprising:

• a guide mountable to said container so as to extend along said aperture first side edge, said guide defining substantially opposed guide first and second ends located respectively substantially adjacent said aperture first and second end edges when said guide is operatively mounted to said container;
• a caddie mounted to said guide and movable therealong between said guide first and second ends;
• a tarpaulin rod for rolling said tarpaulin therearound when configuring said tarpaulin from said extended configuration to said retracted configuration and for unrolling said tarpaulin therefrom when configuring said tarpaulin from said retracted configuration to said extended configuration, said tarpaulin rod defining a rod longitudinal axis, said tarpaulin rod being rotatably mounted to said caddie so as to be rotatable about said rod longitudinal axis, said rod longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to said aperture first end edge when said device is operatively mounted to said container;
• and
• an actuator operatively coupled to said tarpaulin rod for selectively rotating said tarpaulin rod about said rod longitudinal axis to selectively roll said tarpaulin therearound and unroll said tarpaulin therefrom to respectively move said tarpaulin to said retracted and extended configurations.