Truck box tarpaulin assembly

Claim 1

A tarpaulin cover assembly for the open upper side of a truck box which includes a pair of side walls, a rear end wall, and a front end wall; said tarpaulin cover assembly comprising in combination a substantially rectangular tarpaulin adapted to cover the open upper side of the truck box when in the fully extended position, means to fasten one longitudinal edge of the tarpaulin to one side wall, longitudinally extending roller means secured to the other longitudinal edge of said tarpaulin and means to rotate said roller means, said roller means being supported for transverse rolling motion upon the upper edges of the front and back end walls of the truck body, and means operatively extending between said roller means and said truck body to tension said tarpaulin transversely at all times, said means operatively extending between said roller means and said truck body to tension said tarpaulin transverely at all times including a cable and spring assembly secured upon each of the end walls of said truck box, said roller assembly including a cable drum at each end thereof to receive the cable of said cable and spring assembly and means to secure said cables one to each of said cable drums, said means to rotate said roller means including a handle secured to said roller means at least at one end thereof, a crank pin extending from said handle adjacent the distal end thereof, an elongated actuating member pivotally secured by one end thereof to said crank pin for rotating said handle of said crank pin and means detachably securing said distal end of said handle to said end wall to secure said tarpaulin in the desired position against pressure of said springs.