Patent ID: 6073964
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
A new and improved truck body protector system for precluding truck body side walls from damage from debris while filling the truck, wherein the truck to be protected has parallel side walls forming a chamber therebetween for the receipt of debris to be transported by the truck, each side wall having a top edge with an interior base and an exterior base, the truck body protector system comprising, in combination:an elongated bracket secured to each side wall, each bracket including a hinge formed of a plurality of hinge plates secured to the interior face of a side wall at spaced locations by screws and a plurality of rotatable hinge plates with a common hinge rod secured to the rotatable hinge plate for coupling the rotatable hinge plate to the fixed hinge plate and with an elongated support plate secured to the rotatable hinge plate by spaced screws at spaced locations along their common extents, the rotatable hinge plate and support plate being movable a stowed orientation above the chamber and an operative position exterior of the truck bed and spaced from the side wall, the support face being formed in an L-shaped configuration with apertures at its end remote from the hinge rod;a sheet of durable, flexible material in a generally rectangular configuration with a length essential to the length of the trailer and a height greater than that of the side walls sufficient to cover the tires of the truck and with spaced holes along its upper edge;a plurality of S-shaped connectors removably coupling the sheet to the support plate; anda motor with a drive gear operatively coupled to a drive gear on the hinge rod for automatically moving the hinge plate and supplemental plate between the stowed orientation and the operative orientation.