Cover and lifting mechanism for pick ups

Claim 2

Apparatus to connect a cover to the load bed of a vehicle comprising, a first bracket; means to secure the first bracket to a lower portion of the load bed; a second bracket; means to secure the second bracket to an upper portion of the load bed, each of said brackets having passages formed therein; a stanchion; spaced projections on said stanchion, said projections being adapted for sliding engagement along the passages in the brackets; means to pivotally connect a cover to the stanchion; and disengageable locking means secured between said stanchion and at least one of said brackets to limit longitudinal movement of said projections in said passages.

Claim 3

Apparatus to connect a cover to a load bed of a vehicle comprising, a stanchion; means to secure said stanchion adjacent a front wall of the load bed of the vehicle; means to pivotally connect a cover to the stanchion; a link; means to pivotally connect a central portion of the link to the stanchion; a connector member; means to connect one end of the connector member to a cover; means to pivotally connect another end of the connector member to a first end of the link; and resilient means connected to a second end of the link, said resilient means being positioned to exert a moment in one direction when the cover is raised and in an opposite direction when the cover is closed.

Claim 4

Apparatus to connect a cover to a load bed of a vehicle comprising, a stanchion; means to secure said stanchion adjacent a front wall of the load bed of the vehicle; means to pivotally connect a cover to the stanchion; a link; means to pivotally connect a central portion of the link to the stanchion; a connector member; means to connect one end of the connector member to a cover; means to pivotally connect another end of the connector member to a first end of the link; and resilient means connected to a second end of the link, said resilient means being positioned to exert a moment in one direction when the cover is raised and in an opposite direction when the cover is closed.

Claim 5

The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the means to secure the stanchion adjacent the front wall of the load bed of a vehicle comprises, a first bracket; means to secure the first bracket to a lower portion of the load bed; a second bracket; means to secure the second bracket to an upper portion of the load bed, each of said brackets having passages formed therein; and spaced projections on said stanchion, said projections being adapted for sliding engagement with the passages in the brackets.

Claim 6

The combination called for in claim 3 with the addition of stop means extending transversely across the passage in the second bracket such that one of the projections on the stanchion engages the stop means before the other projection on the stanchion engages an end of the passage in the first bracket.

Claim 7

The combination called for in claim 4 with the addition of disconnectable means for securing the stanchion to at least one of the brackets to limit movement of the projections on the stanchions relative to the brackets.

Claim 8

The combination called for in claim 3 wherein the first bracket comprises a substantially vertically disposed member, the passage in the first bracket having a length greater than the length of the passage in the second bracket such that the projection on the stanchion in sliding engagement with the passage in the first bracket does not limit vertical motion of the stanchion.

Claim 9

The combination called for in claim 2 with the addition of disengageable means connectable to the cover to lock the cover in a closed position.

Claim 10

The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the means to pivotally connect a cover to the stanchion comprises, a mounting member having elongated passages formed therein; means connectable between a cover and the passages in the mounting member; and means to pivotally connect the mounting member to the stanchion.

Claim 11

In combination with a vehicle having an open load bed defined by a front wall, spaced side walls, and rear wall, a rigid cover; support means; means to secure the support means adjacent the front wall of the load bed of the vehicle; means to pivotally connect a first end of the cover to the support means, such that a second end of the cover is movable between an open position spaced away from the rear wall of the vehicle and a closed position engaging the rear wall of the vehicle; a link; pivot means to connect the Link to the support means; a spring; first connecting means to connect one end of the spring to the support means; anchor means to secure the other end of the spring to an end of the link; and second connecting means to connect the other end of the link to the cover, said first and second connecting means being positioned on the same side of the pivot means when the cover is in the closed position and on opposite sides of the pivot means when the cover is in the open position, such that the cover is urged toward the open position when the second end of the cover is displaced from the rear wall a predetermined distance and is urged toward the closed position when the second end of the cover is displaced from the rear wall a distance less than said predetermined distance.

Claim 12

In combination with a vehicle having an open load bed defined by a front wall, spaced side walls, and rear wall, a rigid cover; support means; means to secure the support means adjacent the front wall of the load bed of the vehicle; means to pivotally connect a first end of the cover to the support means, such that a second end of the cover is movable between an open position spaced away from the rear wall of the vehicle and a closed position engaging the rear wall of the vehicle; a link; pivot means to connect the Link to the support means; a spring; first connecting means to connect one end of the spring to the support means; anchor means to secure the other end of the spring to an end of the link; and second connecting means to connect the other end of the link to the cover, said first and second connecting means being positioned on the same side of the pivot means when the cover is in the closed position and on opposite sides of the pivot means when the cover is in the open position, such that the cover is urged toward the open position when the second end of the cover is displaced from the rear wall a predetermined distance and is urged toward the closed position when the second end of the cover is displaced from the rear wall a distance less than said predetermined distance.

Claim 13

The combination called for in claim 9 with the addition of means to detachably secure the support means adjacent the front wall of the load bed of the vehicle.

Claim 14

The combination called for in claim 10 wherein the means to detachably secure the support means to the vehicle comprises spaced brackets; interengaging surfaces on the brackets and the support means; and locking means to detachably secure the interengaging surfaces together.

Claim 15

The combination called for in claim 9 wherein the support means comprises spaced stanchion members secured to the vehicle; and the means to pivotally connect the cover to the support means comprises hinge means operably connected between the stanchions and the cover.

Claim 16

The combination called for in claim 12 wherein the hinge means in positioned to be accessible only from the inside of the vehicle to which the cover is attached.