Roll-up tarp apparatus

A motorized roll-up tarp apparatus for attachment to an open top truck trailer, the open top truck trailer having an open truck box, the open truck box having a top opening, two ends and first and second longitudinal sides, the motorized roll-up tarp apparatus comprising:

• a flexible tarp, the flexible tarp having first and second lateral edges and first and second longitudinal edges;
• wherein the first longitudinal edge can be interconnected to the first longitudinal side of the truck box;
• an elongated roll bar member attached to the second longitudinal edge of the flexible tarp;
• the elongated roll bar member having first and second ends;
• a motive source interconnected to a converter unit;
• wherein the motive source includes a motor including a worm gear and the converter unit includes an input section and an output section;
• wherein the motive source is operatively connected to the input section, the input section is operatively connected to the output section and the output section is operatively connected to the elongated roll bar member such that force provided by the motive source is multiplied by the converter unit and used to rotate the elongated roll bar member so as to selectively move the elongated roll bar member over the top opening of the truck box in both an unroll direction so as to position the flexible tarp in a secured position and a roll-up direction to position the flexible tarp in an open position when the first longitudinal edge is connected to the first longitudinal side;
• an arm, the arm having an end interconnected to the motive source and the converter unit and an end rotatably connected to the truck box;
• a biasing member that can apply a tensioning force to the elongated roll bar member;
• and
• a latch plate secured to and extending along at least a portion of the second longitudinal side of the truck box;
• wherein the elongated roll bar member is stored underneath the latch plate when the elongated roll bar member is in the secured position.