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AssigneeAero Industries, Inc.
InventorsRichard Gothier, James R. Tuerk, Steven A. Henning, Robert E. Templin, Oliver L. Allen, II
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An endless cable tarp extension/retraction system spooled around front and rear pulleys includes drive components that are self-contained and encapsulated within an elongated housing that can be removably mounted to the container body using multiple clamp assemblies or mounting bolts disposed within a T-slot in the housing. A front idler pulley is provided that is sized and oriented relative to the drive pulley to maintain the upper and lower runs of the cable to travel essentially parallel along the length of the container. A self-tensioning rear idler pulley is provided that utilizes a spring to exert an adjustable force against the rear idler pulley. In another aspect of the invention, an anti-sail bracket extends downward from the bow ends of the tarp system and includes an inwardly projecting pin that is restrained from upward movement by a rail mounted to the side of the container.
An improvement for a tarping system for an open-topped container, the tarping system having an tarp cover supported by a plurality of bows, and an endless cable drive system connected to the bows having an endless cable extending from at least one rotating drive pulley at one end of the container to an idler pulley system at the opposite end of the container, the improvement comprising:
An idler assembly for a tarping system for an open-topped container, the tarping system having an tarp cover supported by a plurality of bows, the opposite ends of the bows being carried by an endless cable extending along the length of the container and driven by a drive pulley system at one end of the container, the improvement comprising:
An anti-sail apparatus for a tarping system for an open-topped container, the tarping system having a tarp cover supported by a plurality of bows, the opposite ends of the bows being carried by an endless cable extending along the length of the container and traversing pulley systems at opposite ends of the container, the anti-sail apparatus comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Sliding and folding: for utility vehicles
Windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors, or similar devices for vehicles
Term ended 10 Oct 2021 (estimated)
The present invention concerns improvements to retractable and extendable tarp cover systems for open-topped containers. The invention has particular application to vehicle-mounted containers, such as dump trucks. More particularly, the improvements relate to a tarp cover system utilizing an endless cable for extending or retracting the tarp along the length of the open-topped container.
It is well known to provide tarp cover systems for containers that utilize tarps having transversely extending bows. The bows support the tarp cover and are typically curved to accommodate heaped loads within the container body.
One such system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,408, owned by the Assignee of the present invention. In this tarp cover system, an endless cable extends along the length of the container on both sides of the container. The cover tarp includes transverse bows that terminate at bow ends, in which the bow ends are configured to slide along the endless cable. The rear-most bow end is directly connected to the cable so that as the cable is circulated between front and rear pulley systems, the cable carries the connected bow end with it. As the rear-most bow end travels along the length of the container, the tarp is gradually placed in tension and each successive bow end slides along the endless cable toward its fully deployed or retracted position. In this way, and as described in more detail in the '408 patent, the tarp cover can be extended or retracted.
A further object is to enhance the drive capabilities of the endless cable system, most particularly by eliminating the effects of cable stretching. Still another object resides in features of the invention configured to prevent sailing of the tarp cover. These and other objects and benefits of the invention can be discerned from the following written description taken together with the accompanying figures.
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an open-topped container having an extendable/retractable tarp cover system mounted thereon.
FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of components at the drive end of an extension system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. The inventions includes any alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices and described methods and further applications of the principles of the invention which would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
FIG. 1 illustrates an open-topped container having a tarp cover system of the type generally contemplated within the present invention. Specifically, a container C can include a tarp cover T that is configured to be deployed along the side rails SR of the container C. The tarp cover T is supported by a plurality of curved bows B that span the width of the container C. Each of the bows B terminates in a bow end E that is configured to engage an endless cable mechanism 14 of an extension system 10. The extension system 10 includes a drive mechanism 12 that can be in the form of a drive chain 16 and manual crank 17. The drive mechanism 12 causes circulation of the endless cable 15 along the length of the side rail SR. The bow ends E of the tarp cover T are engaged to the cable 15 so that movement of the cable causes commensurate extension or retraction of the tarp cover T.
The present invention contemplates an extension system 10 that can be configured in the manner illustrated in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,408. The details of this retractable tarp cover system can be gleaned from the '408 patent, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The preferred embodiment of the prevent invention, contemplates modifications to the retraction/extension system disclosed in the '408 patent.