Container covering apparatus
AssigneeJohn Donovan Enterprises, Inc.
InventorFred P. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for covering an open container of a vehicle includes a pair of arms. Each arm has a first arm member and a second arm member. A first rotatable member is pivotally secured to the first arm member. A second rotatable member is pivotally secured to the first arm member and rigidly secured to the second arm member. A linking member couples the first and second rotatable members to one another. A first actuator is secured to the first arm member, a second actuator is secured to the first rotatable member, and a cover is connected to the second arm members.
Claims42
An apparatus for covering an open container of a vehicle comprising:
- a pair of arms, each arm comprising
- a first arm member;
- a second arm member;
- a first rotatable member pivotally secured to the first arm member;
- a second rotatable member pivotally secured to the first arm member and rigidly secured to the second arm member;
- a linking member coupling the first and second rotatable members;
- a first actuator secured to the first arm member;
- and
- a second actuator secured to the first rotatable member;
- and
- a cover connected to the second arm members.
A process for covering an open top container supported by a vehicle comprising:
- providing a cover attached between ends of pivoted arm structures with one provided to each side of the container,
- actuating the pivoted arm structures to lift the cover from a stowed position forward of the container and below the open top substantially along a vertical plane until the cover at least reaches the open top of the container;
- and
- actuating the arm assembly to move the cover to a rear end of the container so that the cover overlies the open top of the container.
An apparatus for covering an open container of a vehicle comprising:
- a cover movable between an extended position where the cover overlies the container and a stowed position where the container is open;
- an arm assembly coupled to the cover to move the cover between the extended and stowed positions, the arm assembly including a first arm member and a second arm member movably coupled together, the first arm member being adapted for attachment to a vehicle and the second arm member being attached to the cover;
- an actuator coupled the second arm member for moving the second arm member relative to the first arm member;
- and
- a linking assembly coupled to the first and second arm members to passively move the first arm member when the second arm member is moved by the actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.