Load bed lift-roof cover

A load bed lift-roof cover including a system for attachment of a lift-roof forward wall to a load bed at left and right sides, the system at each side being in the form of a closed linkage comprising four members including the forward wall and three links;

• the links including a first link attached by a first fastening means at a first location to the forward wall and by a second fastening means at a second location to a second link;
• the second link being attached by a third fastening means at a third location to a third link;
• the third link being attached by a fourth fastening means at a fourth location to the forward wall;
• the first, second, third and fourth fastening means being able to be loosened in a manner whereby the normally fastened members remain attached to each other while accommodating relative rotation.

A load bed lift-roof cover including an over-center latch for drawing and holding a lift-roof to a closed position on a load bed, the over-center latch comprising a latch hook, a latch handle and a latch base;

• the latch hook being pivotally attached to the latch handle at a latch hook pivotal attachment, the latch handle being pivotally attached to the latch base at a latch handle pivotal attachment, and the latch base being fixedly attached to the lift-roof structure;
• when latched, the latch handle and latch hook having substantially vertical orientations, so that inboard rotation of the latch handle about its pivotal attachment to the latch base lowers the latch hook toward disengagement from the load bed;
• the latch including means for releasably retaining the latch handle in an upward roientation relative to the handle pivotal attachment;
• the latch hook and handle forming an interfacing pair having two members, including a first member incorporating a surface circumferential to the axis of the latch hook pivotal attachment, and a second member incorporating friction means rotating with the second member relative to the member;
• friction means acting under spring force normal to the circumferential surface in a manner allowing the hook to be easily positioned at a desired orientation relative to the handle and thereby retaining in that position.