Truck bed cover

Claim 1

In a truck bed cover, the combination of; a cover adapted to enclose the upper side of a generally box-shaped pickup truck bed; said cover having a forward end adapted to be disposed adjacent to a pickup truck cab; said cover having a rearward end adapted to be disposed adjacent a pickup truck tailgate; said cover having opposite sides extending between said forward and rearward ends; hinge means at said forward end of said cover and adapted pivotally to couple said forward end of said cover to said pickup truck bed; said hinge means having a horizontal axis whereby said rearward end of said cover may be elevated to a raised position relative to said tailgate; stand means adapted to support said cover in said raised position relative to said truck bed; said stand means having structure of a configuration which is generally U-shaped; said U-shaped structure being disposed in an inverted position when said rearward portion of said cover is supported in raised position by said stand means; said U-shaped structure of said stand means comprising an intermediate horizontally disposed torque transmitting bar portion; first bearing means carried by said cover, said bar portion being pivotally carried by said first bearing means; said first bearing means having a generally horizontal axis; said U-shaped structure of said stand also having a pair of legs, said legs having first ends fixed to said bar portion; said legs extending downwardly from said bar portion when said stand means supports said cover in raised position; said legs being disposed adjacent respective opposite sides of said cover, and adapted to straddle an inner load carrying area of said truck bed; said legs having second ends; track following bearing means carried at said second ends of said legs; a pair of elongated tracks having forward and rearward ends; said tracks adapted to be secured to opposite inner sides of a pickup truck bed in adjacent relation to said opposite sides of said cover, said tracks being elongated in a generally forward and rearward direction relative to said pickup truck bed; said track following bearing means at said second ends of said legs being adapted to engage and follow respective ones of said tracks, whereby said legs are disposed generally in an up and down disposition when said cover is in raised position and said legs are disposed in a more nearly horizontal position when said cover is lowered to enclose the upper open side of said pickup truck bed; said tracks each being provided with channel shaped in cross-section structure and so disposed that said channel shaped structure is open in a direction facing inwardly relative to respective opposite sides of said cover; a respective one of said track following bearing means disposed and movable in each channel shaped structure; said channel shaped structure being provided with lower and upper flanges, the upper one of said flanges having an opening adapted to permit upward vertical movement of a respective one of said track following bearing means therethrough; said opening in each upper flange of each of said elongated tracks being located at a position intermediate opposite ends of each respective track; said hinge means being provided with releasable hinge pin means coupled to said cover; said hinge pin means adapted to permit removal of said cover relative to said hinge means and relative to said truck bed; releasable means releasably holding said hinge pin means relative to said hinge means for fixing said cover in pivoted relation to said truck bed; said hinge means being provided with bearing structure in which said hinge pin means is releasably held by said releasable means; said bearing structure comprising substantially U-shaped hinge pin cradle means adapted to provide pivotal support around approximately 180* of the periphery of said hinge pin means; said cradle means being provided with an open side directed toward said rearward end of said cover, said hinge pin means carried by said cover.