Roll-tight tarp system

A tarp assembly for an open top container having a pair of generally parallel longitudinal first and second upright side walls having upper edges at least partially defining an open top of the container, said tarp assembly comprising:

• a tarp having a longitudinal dimension longer than the longitudinal dimension of the top opening of the container and a lateral dimension greater than the distance between the container side walls, said tarp having a first longitudinal edge adapted to be secured to the first side wall and a movable second longitudinal edge extendable in overlapping relationship to the second side wall;
• first means for securing the first longitudinal edge of the tarp to the first side wall;
• a roll bar having a generally cylindrical wall having diametrically spaced side wall portions and a longitudinal axis, second means securing the movable edge of the tarp to the wall of the roll bar located adjacent the spaced side wall portions, means for selectively rotating the roll bar in a first direction to unroll the tarp from the roll bar to cover the open top of the container, rotating the roll bar in an opposite second direction to roll up the tarp on the roll bar to uncover the open top of the container, and selectively holding the roll bar and tarp rolled thereon in a first position covering the open top of the container and a second position uncovering the open top of the container;
• said means for selectively rotating the roll bar and holding the roll bar and tarp in said first and second positions including a manually rotatable crank rod, a universal joint connecting one end of the crank rod to the roll bar, and a crank rod holder connectable to the container to releasably hold the crank rod in perpendicular relationship to the roll bar to locate the universal joint in a perpendicular locking configuration thereby holding the roll bar and tarp in said first and second positions, a hold bar laterally spaced from the roll bar and extended generally parallel thereto, a plurality of strap means connected at one end to the hold bar and connected at the other end proximate a side wall portion of the roll bar, said strap means extended downwardly from the tarp when the tarp is in a fully unrolled position, outwardly and downwardly facing hook means adapted to be attached to the outside of the second side wall, said hook means comprising a plurality of downwardly open hooks longitudinally spaced along the length of the second side wall, said hooks being positioned along the second side wall to guide the strap means and to retain the hold bar in alignment for mutual engagement with the hooks, said strap means being of sufficient length to position the hold bar beneath the hook means with the roll bar located above the hook means when the tarp is fully unrolled over the container with the first edge of the tarp secured to the first longitudinal edge, said hold bar being engageable with the hook means to retain the tarp in the closed position upon rolling of the tarp on the roll bar in the first direction past the fully unrolled position of the tarp, and releasable from said hook means upon unrolling of the tarp from said roll bar.

A container and tarp assembly therefore comprising:

• container means having a top opening and laterally spaced generally upright walls with upper edges at least partially defining said top opening, a tarp having a first edge, a second edge, and a longitudinal dimension greater than the top opening and a lateral dimension greater than the distance between said walls, means securing the first edge to one of said walls, rigid linear means fixed to the second edge, means for selectively rotating the linear means in a first direction to unroll the tarp from the linear means and rotating the linear means in a second direction to roll the tarp on the linear means, and to hold the linear means and tarp in a position wherein the tarp covers the open top of the container;
• hold means for releasably connecting the second edge of the tarp to the other of said walls, said hold means including a hold bar, and strap means connecting the hold bar to the rigid linear means, said strap means connected to the linear means in position to extend vertically downwardly from a side of the linear means in offset relation to a vertically depending portion of the tarp when the tarp is fully unrolled, and hook means secured to the other of said walls, said hook means comprising a plurality of downwardly opem hooks longitudinally spaced along the length of the other of said walls, said hooks being positioned in pairs to straddle the strap means when the tarp covers the container opening to guide the strap means and to retain the hold bar in alignment for mutual engagement with the hooks, said strap means being of sufficient length so that the hold bar is engageable with said hook means to retain the tarp in the closed position upon rolling of the tarp on the linear means and releasable from the hook means upon unrolling of the tarp from said linear means.

A tarp assembly for an open top container having a pair of generally parallel, longitudinal first and second sides with first and second side edges at least partially defining the top opening of the container, said tarp assembly comprising:

• a flexible tarp, said tarp adapted to be secured at a first longitudinal side edge thereof to a first side of the container, said tarp having a second longitudinal edge extendable in overlapping relation to the second side of the container, a first rigid linear member attached to the second longitudinal edge of the tarp;
• a second rigid linear member located generally parallel to said first member, a plurality of flexible, elongated straps attached to the first member and the second member, said second member being displaced from the second edge of the tarp;
• a plurality of inverted U-shaped hooks adapted to be attached to the second side of said container to guide the straps and to retain said second member in alignment for mutual engagement with the hooks when said top opening of the container is closed by said tarp;
• crank means attached to one of the members for rolling said one of the members in a first direction to close said top opening of the container with the tarp and in a second direction to uncover said tarp from the top opening of the container;
• and holder means connectable to the container to releasably hold the crank means in a position to hold the second member in engagement with the hooks and retain the tarp in position to cover the top opening of the container.

A container and tarp assembly therefor comprising:

• container means having a top opening and laterally spaced generally upright first and second walls with upper edges at least partially defining said top opening, a tarp having a first edge, a second edge and a longitudinal dimension greater than the top opening and a lateral dimension greater than the distance between said upright walls, means securing the first edge of the tarp to said first wall of the container, a first elongated linear member attached to the second edge of the tarp, a second elongated linear member laterally spaced from and located generally parallel to the first member, a plurality of flexible elongated straps fixed to the first member and second member, said second member being displaced from the second edge of the tarp when located adjacent the second wall of the container, a plurality of inverted generally U-shaped hooks located longitudinally along and attached to the second wall of the container to guide the straps and retain the second member in alignment for mutual engagement with the hooks when said open top of the container is closed by said tarp, crank means attached to one of the members for selectively rolling said one of the members in a first direction to close said top opening of the container with the tarp and in a second direction to uncover said tarp from said top opening of the container, and holder means mounted on the container to releasably hold the crank means in a position to hold the second member in engagement with the hooks and retain the tarp in position to cover the top opening of the container.