Apparatus for attaching a cover for an open-topped vehicle enclosure, with optional cargo carriers

Claim 1

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open-topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least one rail member including a bottom surface configured to rest on an upper surface of said top wall portion, an outwardly-facing inclined side surface having upper and lower edges, and a longitudinally extending protective shelf arranged substantially parallel and adjacent to said upper edge of said outwardly-facing inclined side surface; a plurality of discrete, separate cover attachment members, removably affixed to one or more of said at least one rail member by operably gripping engagement with said upper and lower edges of said outwardly-facing inclined side surface, so as to substantially span said outwardly-facing inclined surface, for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member, said protective shelf being operably disposed for substantially shielding said upper edge of said outwardly-facing inclined side surface, to substantially preclude potentially damaging and unsightly protrusion of said attachment members from under said cover member adjacent said peripheral portion of same, while further serving, to facilitate prevention of undesired removal of said cover attachment members; and clamping means operably engageable with said side wall and said at least one rail member, so as to releasably clamp said at least one rail member onto said top wall of said side wall.

Claim 2

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open-topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least one rail member including a bottom surface configured to rest on an upper surface of said top wall portion, an outwardly-facing inclined side surface having upper and lower edges, and a longitudinally extending protective shelf arranged substantially parallel and adjacent to said upper edge of said outwardly-facing inclined side surface; a plurality of discrete, separate cover attachment members, removably affixed to one or more of said at least one rail member by operably gripping engagement with said upper and lower edges of said outwardly-facing inclined side surface, so as to substantially span said outwardly-facing inclined surface, for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member, said protective shelf being operably disposed for substantially shielding said upper edge of said outwardly-facing inclined side surface, to substantially preclude potentially damaging and unsightly protrusion of said attachment members from under said cover member adjacent said peripheral portion of same, while further serving, to facilitate prevention of undesired removal of said cover attachment members; and clamping means operably engageable with said side wall and said at least one rail member, so as to releasably clamp said at least one rail member onto said top wall of said side wall.

Claim 14

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open-topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least two rail members operably arranged in substantially parallel relationship upon opposite sides of said vehicle enclosure, on the top wall portion of said side walls thereof, each of said at least two rail members including a longitudinally extending protective shelf surface; a plurality of discrete, separate attachment members, removably affixable to two or more of said at least two rail members for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member, said attachment members being affixable substantially parallel and immediately adjacent to said protective shelf surface, so as to be substantially precluded from potentially damaging and unsightly protrusion of said attachment members from under said cove member adjacent said peripheral portion of same, while further serving, to prevent undesired removal of said attachment members; a plurality of clamping members operably engageable with said side wall and said at least two rail members so as to grasp or release said side wall to releasably clamp said at least two rail members onto said top wall portion of said side wall; means for carrying cargo items, operably supported by and between said at least two rail members, upon said top wall portion of said side walls.

Claim 15

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open-topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least two rail members operably arranged in substantially parallel relationship upon opposite sides of said vehicle enclosure, on the top wall portion of said side walls thereof, each of said at least two rail members including a longitudinally extending protective shelf surface; a plurality of discrete, separate attachment members, removably affixable to two or more of said at least two rail members for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member, said attachment members being affixable substantially parallel and immediately adjacent to said protective shelf surface, so as to be substantially precluded from potentially damaging and unsightly protrusion of said attachment members from under said cove member adjacent said peripheral portion of same, while further serving, to prevent undesired removal of said attachment members; a plurality of clamping members operably engageable with said side wall and said at least two rail members so as to grasp or release said side wall to releasably clamp said at least two rail members onto said top wall portion of said side wall; means for carrying cargo items, operably supported by and between said at least two rail members, upon said top wall portion of said side walls.

Claim 20

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open-topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least two rail members operably disposed in substantially parallel relation to each other upon opposite sides of said open-topped vehicle enclosure, including a bottom surface configured to rest on an upper surface of said top wall portion, an outwardly-facing and inclined side surface having upper and lower edges; a plurality of discrete, separate cover attachment members, removably affixable to said at least one rail member by operably gripping engagement with said upper and lower edges of said outwardly-facing inclined side surface, so as to substantially span said outwardly-facing inclined surface, for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member; clamping means operably engageable with said side wall and said at least one rail member so as to grasp or release said side wall to clamp said at least one rail member onto said top wall of said side wall; means for carrying cargo items, operably supported transversely between said at least two rail members; and means for removably attaching said means for carrying cargo items to said at least two rail members.

Claim 21

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open-topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least two rail members operably disposed in substantially parallel relation to each other upon opposite sides of said open-topped vehicle enclosure, including a bottom surface configured to rest on an upper surface of said top wall portion, an outwardly-facing and inclined side surface having upper and lower edges; a plurality of discrete, separate cover attachment members, removably affixable to said at least one rail member by operably gripping engagement with said upper and lower edges of said outwardly-facing inclined side surface, so as to substantially span said outwardly-facing inclined surface, for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member; clamping means operably engageable with said side wall and said at least one rail member so as to grasp or release said side wall to clamp said at least one rail member onto said top wall of said side wall; means for carrying cargo items, operably supported transversely between said at least two rail members; and means for removably attaching said means for carrying cargo items to said at least two rail members.

Claim 27

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open-topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least two rail members, each including a bottom surface configured to rest on an upper surface of said top wall portion, an outwardly-facing inclined side surface having upper and lower edges; a plurality of discrete, separate cover attachment members, removably affixable to two or more of said at least two rail members by operably gripping engagement with said upper and lower edges of said outwardly-facing inclined surface, so as to substantially span said outwardly-facing inclined surface, for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member; clamping means operably engageable with said side wall and one or more of said at least two rail members so as to releasably clamp said one or more of said at least two rail members onto said top wall of said side wall; at least one cover member configured to connect adjacently positioned ones of said rail members in perpendicular relationship to each other; at least two attachment members emanating from a central portion of said at least one corner member, perpendicularly relative to each other, each of said at least two attachment members being configured to be received within any of said at least two rail members; and means for affixing said at least two rail members to said at least one corner member, when each of said at least two attachment members have been received by said at least two rail members.

Claim 28

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open-topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least two rail members, each including a bottom surface configured to rest on an upper surface of said top wall portion, an outwardly-facing inclined side surface having upper and lower edges; a plurality of discrete, separate cover attachment members, removably affixable to two or more of said at least two rail members by operably gripping engagement with said upper and lower edges of said outwardly-facing inclined surface, so as to substantially span said outwardly-facing inclined surface, for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member; clamping means operably engageable with said side wall and one or more of said at least two rail members so as to releasably clamp said one or more of said at least two rail members onto said top wall of said side wall; at least one cover member configured to connect adjacently positioned ones of said rail members in perpendicular relationship to each other; at least two attachment members emanating from a central portion of said at least one corner member, perpendicularly relative to each other, each of said at least two attachment members being configured to be received within any of said at least two rail members; and means for affixing said at least two rail members to said at least one corner member, when each of said at least two attachment members have been received by said at least two rail members.

Claim 29

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least two rail members operably arranged in substantially parallel relationship upon opposite sides of said vehicle enclosure; a plurality of discrete, separate attachment members, removably affixable to any of said at least two rail members for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member; a plurality of clamping members operably engageable with said side wall and said at least two rail members so as to grasp or release said side wall to clamp said at least two rail members onto said top wall portion of said side wall; and at least two support bars, each having two ends, operably supported, in substantially parallel relation, substantially perpendicular to said at least two rail members, by said clamping members; adapter means, operably mountable upon said clamping members, for receiving and supporting said ends of said support bars.

Claim 30

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least two rail members operably arranged in substantially parallel relationship upon opposite sides of said vehicle enclosure; a plurality of discrete, separate attachment members, removably affixable to any of said at least two rail members for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member; a plurality of clamping members operably engageable with said side wall and said at least two rail members so as to grasp or release said side wall to clamp said at least two rail members onto said top wall portion of said side wall; and at least two support bars, each having two ends, operably supported, in substantially parallel relation, substantially perpendicular to said at least two rail members, by said clamping members; adapter means, operably mountable upon said clamping members, for receiving and supporting said ends of said support bars.

Claim 31

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least two rail members operably arranged in substantially parallel relationship upon opposite sides of said vehicle enclosure; a plurality of discrete, separate attachment members, removably affixable to any of said at least two rail members for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member; a plurality of clamping members operably engageable with said side wall and said at least two rail members so as to grasp or release said side wall to clamp said at least two rail members onto said top wall portion of said side wall; means for carrying cargo items, operably supported between said at least two rail members; further clamping members operably engageable with said side wall and said at least two rail members; at least two support bars, each having two ends, operably supported, in substantially parallel relation, substantially perpendicular to said at least two rail members, by said further clamping members; and adapter means, operably mountable upon said further clamping members, for receiving and supporting said ends of said support bars.

Claim 32

An apparatus for attaching a cover for an open topped vehicle enclosure, said enclosure having a plurality of side walls, each side wall including at least an outer wall portion and a top wall portion extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from said outer wall portion, said apparatus for attaching a cover comprising: at least two rail members operably arranged in substantially parallel relationship upon opposite sides of said vehicle enclosure; a plurality of discrete, separate attachment members, removably affixable to any of said at least two rail members for engaging a peripheral portion of a cover member; a plurality of clamping members operably engageable with said side wall and said at least two rail members so as to grasp or release said side wall to clamp said at least two rail members onto said top wall portion of said side wall; means for carrying cargo items, operably supported between said at least two rail members; further clamping members operably engageable with said side wall and said at least two rail members; at least two support bars, each having two ends, operably supported, in substantially parallel relation, substantially perpendicular to said at least two rail members, by said further clamping members; and adapter means, operably mountable upon said further clamping members, for receiving and supporting said ends of said support bars.