Tarpaulin cover and mounting frame for open truck bodies

Claim 2

A cover structure for a vehicle having side and end walls defining an open container body, comprising a. a three-sided frame (10) having side (11, 12) and front end (13) frame members adapted for mounting on said vehicle in registry with the side and front end walls thereof, respectively, each of said side frame members including at its upper end a horizontal integral flange portion (38) that extends partially inwardly over the chamber defined within the container body; b. a pair of horizontal longitudinally-extending hollow trackway means (43) connected with said side frame members beneath the horizontal flange portions thereof, respectively, said trackway means being parallel and coextensive with said side frame members, each of said trackway means containing a downwardly facing slot (43a) that extends longitudinally of the corresponding side frame member; c. a plurality of captively guided slide elements (49) slidably mounted within each of said trackway means, respectively; d. a plurality of parallel horizontal beam elements (27, 127) disposed transversely between said trackway means, said beam elements being connected at opposite ends with slide elements contained in said trackway means, respectively, thereby to suspend said beam elements from said trackway means, respectively; e. a flexible cover (17) secured at one end with said frame adjacent said end frame member, said cover being secured at uniform distances along its length to successive ones of said beam elements; and f. means (30) for displacing the rearmost beam element alternately in opposite directions along said trackway means, thereby to effect transverse folding of said cover when said rearmost beam element is retracted in the forward direction and to tauten said cover when said rearmost beam element is extended in the rearward direction.

Claim 3

A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the most forward beam element is fixed in said end frame member.

Claim 4

A cover structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein said slide elements have a horizontal length along said trackway not significantly greater than the corresponding dimension of a beam element.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said end frame member has in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axes of said side frame members a horizontal dimension at least as great as the sum of the lengths of all of the slide elements contained in either of said trackway means, respectively.

Claim 6

A structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means to extend and retract said cover comprise a pair of inextensible flexible loops connected with end portions of said rearmost beam element each loop extending along the inside of the vertical flange of a side frame member and being reelably supported on pulleys disposed at the forward and rearward ends of said side frame member, said forward pulleys being ganged and actuable by a common shaft extending transversely in said housing.

Claim 7

A structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein the forward and rearward ends of said cover respectively extend forwardly and rearwardly of said fixed beam Element and of said rearmost beam element to form depending flaps providing spillways for discharge of water, and the disposition of said beam elements is such that the discharge is exteriorly of said body opening.

Claim 8

A structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein the cover extends laterally under opposed horizontal flange portions of said frame and the side margins of said cover are supported and shaped by said beam elements to provide upwardly-inwardly and curved retaining side walls.

Claim 9

A structure as set forth in claim 7 wherein the end portions of said beam elements carry brackets clampedly affixing said cover thereto and said brackets are formed with upwardly-inturned end portions having said cover margins secured thereto.

Claim 10

A structure as set forth in claim 8 wherein the side margins of said cover terminate in depending flaps hanging adjacent the inner ends of said brackets to effect shaping of said side margins as water-retaining cuffs when said slide elements are brought together.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said side frame members include at their adjacent longitudinal edges vertical terminal flange portions (39) that extend downwardly from said horizontal flange portions toward and spaced narrowly from said cover when said cover is in the extended condition.

Claim 12

A cover structure for a vehicle having side and end walls defining an open container body, comprising, a. a three-sided frame (10) having side (11, 12) and front end (13) frame members adapted for mounting on said vehicle in registry with the side and front end walls thereof, respectively, each of said side frame members including at its upper end a horizontal integral flange portion (38) that extends partially inwardly over the chamber defined within the container body; b. a pair of horizontal longitudinally extending hollow trackway means (43) connected with said side frame members beneath the horizontal flange portions thereof, respectively, said trackway means being parallel and coextensive with said side frame members, each of said trackway means containing a downwardly facing slot (43a) that extends longitudinally of the corresponding side frame member; c. a plurality of captively guided slide elements (49) slidably mounted within each of said trackway means, respectively; d. a plurality of parallel horizontal beam elements (27, 127) disposed transversely between said trackway means; e. suspension means connecting said beam elements at opposite ends with said slide elements, respectively, said suspension means including link means carried by each of said slide elements and depending loosely through the corresponding slot, said link means having lower ends connected in pivoting suspending support relation with end portions of said beam elements to permit lateral swinging of said beam elements between said side frame members about axes in said trackway means, the most forward one of said beam elements being fixed in said end frame member; f. a flexible cover (17) secured at one end with said frame adjacent said end frame member, said cover being secured at uniform distances along its length to successive ones of said beam elements; and g. means (30) for displacing the rearmost beam element alternately in opposite directions along said trackway means, thereby to effect transverse folding of said cover when said rearmost beam element is retracted in the forward direction and to tauten said cover when said rearmost beam element is extended in the rearward direction, said side frame members also including at their adjacent longitudinal edges vertical terminal flange portions (39) that extend downwardly from said horizontal flange portions toward and spaced narrowly from said cover when said cover is in the extended condition.

Claim 13

A cover structure for a vehicle having side and end walls defining an open container body, comprising, a. a three-sided frame (10) having side (11, 12) and front end (13) frame members adapted for mounting on said vehicle in registry with the side and front end walls thereof, respectively, each of said side frame members including at its upper end a horizontal integral flange portion (38) that extends partially inwardly over the chamber defined within the container body; b. a pair of horizontal longitudinally extending hollow trackway means (43) connected with said side frame members beneath the horizontal flange portions thereof, respectively, said trackway means being parallel and coextensive with said side frame members, each of said trackway means containing a downwardly facing slot (43a) that extends longitudinally of the corresponding side frame member; c. a plurality of captively guided slide elements (49) slidably mounted within each of said trackway means, respectively; d. a plurality of parallel horizontal beam elements (27, 127) disposed transversely between said trackway means; e. suspension means connecting said beam elements at opposite ends with said slide elements, respectively, said suspension means including link means carried by each of said slide elements and depending loosely through the corresponding slot, said link means having lower ends connected in pivoting suspending support relation with end portions of said beam elements to permit lateral swinging of said beam elements between said side frame members about axes in said trackway means, the most forward one of said beam elements being fixed in said end frame member; f. a flexible cover (17) secured at one end with said frame adjacent said end frame member, said cover being secured at uniform distances along its length to successive ones of said beam elements; and g. means (30) for displacing the rearmost beam element alternately in opposite directions along said trackway means, thereby to effect transverse folding of said cover when said rearmost beam element is retracted in the forward direction and to tauten said cover when said rearmost beam element is extended in the rearward direction, said side frame members also including at their adjacent longitudinal edges vertical terminal flange portions (39) that extend downwardly from said horizontal flange portions toward and spaced narrowly from said cover when said cover is in the extended condition.

Claim 14

A cover structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein said slide elements comprise cylindric rods and said link means comprise a pair of parallel rods having their upper end fixed to the ends of each sliDe element.

Claim 15

A structure as set forth in claim 12 wherein the lower ends of said link means comprise horizontally aligned portions comprising axles journalled in bearing means disposed in an end portion of beam element for rotative movement about a longitudinal pivot axis.

Claim 16

A structure as set forth in claim 13 wherein said axis is intermediate the upper and lower surfaces of a beam element.

Claim 17

A structure as set forth in claim 13 wherein the pivot axis is spaced adjacent the upper surface above said beam element.

Claim 18

A structure as set forth in claim 13 wherein the pivot axis is spaced adjacent the lower surface below said beam element.

Claim 19

A cover structure for open box bodies having longitudinal side walls subject to elastic deformation when loaded, comprising a. a cover-supporting frame including side and front end frame members having vertical wall portions corresponding in plan form to the exterior plan of said box body opening, said frame being adapted for mounting on said body side walls and having integral horizontal flanges extending inwardly over the sides and front end of said body opening; b. a pair of hollow parallel trackways carried by a respective pair of parallel horizontal flanges of said frame, each trackway containing a downwardly opening slot coextensive therewith; c. a plurality of rod elements slidably mounted and captively retained in said trackways, said rod elements being pivotally supported by said slots; d. a flexible cover secured at one end within said frame adjacent the front end member thereof, said cover being so dimensioned that the side margins thereof underlie the opposed horizontal flange portions of said side frame members and the end margins of said cover extend beyond said body opening; e. and a plurality of transverse cover-supporting beam elements each having a length substantially the same as the spacing between said slots, said beam elements being suspended from said rod elements by links depending freely through said slots and pivotally connected with the ends of the beam elements to permit predetermined change of lateral dimensions of said body opening when said cover is extended thereover without binding said rods in said slots.

Claim 20

A cover structure for open box bodies having longitudinal side walls subject to elastic deformation when loaded, comprising a. a cover-supporting frame including side and front end frame members having vertical wall portions corresponding in plan form to the exterior plan of said box body opening, said frame being adapted for mounting on said body side walls and having integral horizontal flanges extending inwardly over the sides and front end of said body opening; b. a pair of hollow parallel trackways carried by a respective pair of parallel horizontal flanges of said frame, each trackway containing a downwardly opening slot coextensive therewith; c. a plurality of rod elements slidably mounted and captively retained in said trackways, said rod elements being pivotally supported by said slots; d. a flexible cover secured at one end within said frame adjacent the front end member thereof, said cover being so dimensioned that the side margins thereof underlie the opposed horizontal flange portions of said side frame members and the end margins of said cover extend beyond said body opening; e. and a plurality of transverse cover-supporting beam elements each having a length substantially the same as the spacing between said slots, said beam elements being suspended from said rod elements by links depending freely through said slots and pivotally connected with the ends of the beam elements to permit predetermined change of lateral dimensions of said body opening when said cover is extended thereover without binding said rods in said slots.

Claim 21

A cover structure as set forth in claim 17 having straps clampedly secured on the upper surface of each beam element, a free end portion of each strap being bent upwardly in U - shape with legs horizontal, and the margins of the cover are secured about the U to shape the said margins as a retaining side wall when said cover is taut

Claim 22

A cover structure as set forth in claim 18 wherein each horizontal flange has a terminal vertical flange extending toward but spaced from said strps a distance sufficient to permit lateral swinging of said elements.

Claim 23

A cover structure as set forth in claim 18 wherein said rod elements have a length along a trackway not significantly greater than the corresponding dimension of a beam element, and the front horizontal flange has a length not less than the sum of all rod elements in a trackway.