Road vehicles of open construction

Claim 2

A road vehicle comprising a vehicle chassis having a head board and a flooring for the mounting thereon of a load; a sheeting for covering and securing the load; means for attaching the sheeting to the head board; a plurality of securing means for securing each side of the sheeting to the vehicle chassis, each securing means including a transversely extending, flexible elongate first member fixedly attached to the sheeting and a second member connected to the chassis by attachment means, the attachment means permitting the second member to be moved longitudinally of the chassis to bring the first and second members into vertical alignment, the first members being spaced longitudinally of the sheeting, one of said members having a tongue at a free end thereof, and the other of said members having a buckle at a free end thereof, the tongue and buckle being rapidly connectable and releasable in the manner of an automobile seat belt securing device.

Claim 3

A road vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means are provided by a series of rods secured to the chassis at intervals along its length and extending longitudinally thereof.

Claim 4

A road vehicle according to claim 2, wherein each rod has a respective one of said second members connected thereto and wherein the length of each rod is less than the spacing between its respective first member and an adjacent first member.

Claim 5

A road vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said first and second members comprise first and second flexible elongate webs, each said first web being fixedly secured along a major portion of its length to said sheet, each said second web being connected with one of said rods for longitudinal sliding motion thereof into alignment with the associated one of said first webs, said tongue and buckle being fixedly secured to adjacent free ends of said webs for connecting said first and second webs together.

Claim 6

A road vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the web of each said second member is looped around its respective rod to permit longitudinally movement thereof relative to the rod, said web carrying said buckle.

Claim 7

A road vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the web of each second member has a tensioning portion for tensioning said first and second members, and wherein a device is provided to enable the tension-free portion of the web to be retained in a folded condition.

Claim 8

A road vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the sheeting attaching means includes a channel-shaped member secured to the top edge of the headboard, a forward edge of the sheeting being clamped between said channel-shaped member and said top edge.

Claim 9

A road vehicle according to claim 1, and including means carried by the headboard for supporting the sheeting in a rolled up or folded condition.

Claim 10

A road vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said supporting means incLudes a plurality of L-shaped rods each having a vertical arm located in a hole in the headboard, the horizontal arm of each rod being pivotable from a position within the channel of said channel-shaped member to a position extending forwardly of the headboard.

Claim 11

A road vehicle according to claim 1, and including means for securing the free ends of said second members to the flooring of the vehicle when empty.

Claim 12

A road vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said free end securing means includes a spring tensioned retractable line positioned within the headboard and extendable longitudinally of the chassis, said free ends being attachable to said line.

Claim 13

A road vehicle according to claim 1, and including cords extending above the forward and side edges of the sheeting to prevent or reduce billowing thereof when in an operative condition.

Claim 14

A road vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the chassis has a tailboard, and wherein a second sheeting is provided for attachment to the tailboard.

Claim 15

A road vehicle comprising a vehicle chassis having a head board and a flooring for the mounting thereon of a load; a sheeting for covering and securing the load; means for attaching the sheeting to the head board; a plurality of securing means for securing each side of the sheeting to the vehicle chassis, each securing means including a first member attached to the sheeting and extending transversely across the width thereof, and two second members connected to the chassis at opposite sides thereof by attachment means and each connectible to a respective one of opposite ends of the first member, the attachment means permitting each second member to be moved longitudinally of the chassis to bring the first and second members into vertical alignment, the first members being spaced longitudinally of the sheeting, and means for rapidly connecting and disconnecting said first and second members together and tensioning after the members are connected together.

Claim 16

A road vehicle comprising a vehicle chassis having a head board and a flooring for the mounting thereon of a load; a sheeting for covering and securing the load; means for attaching the sheeting to the head board; a plurality of securing means for securing each side of the sheeting to the vehicle chassis, each securing means including a first member attached to the sheeting and extending transversely across the width thereof, and two second members connected to the chassis at opposite sides thereof by attachment means and each connectible to a respective one of opposite ends of the first member, the attachment means permitting each second member to be moved longitudinally of the chassis to bring the first and second members into vertical alignment, the first members being spaced longitudinally of the sheeting, and means for rapidly connecting and disconnecting said first and second members together and tensioning after the members are connected together.