Patent ID: 8985669
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: B23P,B60J,B60P,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A conversion kit for converting a manually operated roll-up tarp assembly to a motor driven roll-up tarp assembly that can be manually operated with a hand crank arm if necessitated by failure of the motor; the manually operated roll-up tarp assembly including a flexible tarp and a roll tube upon which the flexible tarp can be gathered and from which the flexible tarp can be unfurled when the flexible tarp is gathered upon the roll tube; the roll tube having a first length and first and second ends and a rear arm assembly; the conversion kit comprising: a first arm assembly including a motor having an output shaft, wherein the output shaft has an outer surface and the outer surface includes a first groove; a first pin; a second pin; and a roll tube extension; the roll tube extension having first and second end segments; the first end segment being constructed and shaped so that the first end segment can slide onto the output shaft to become connected therewith; wherein the roll tube can be modified by removing a portion of the roll tube proximate the second end to form a modified roll tube that has a second length; wherein the second length is shorter than the first length; and wherein the second end segment of the roll tube extension is connectable to the modified roll tube so as to be an extension thereof and part of an extended modified roll tube; wherein the roll tube extension includes an inner surface that defines a hollow interior proximate the first end segment; and the roll tube extension further includes a first pin aperture that can be aligned with the first groove when the roll tube extension is connected with the output shaft such that the first pin can be inserted into the first pin aperture and the first groove such that the roll tube extension is engaged with the output shaft and cannot be disengaged therefrom without removing the first pin; wherein the output shaft further includes a second in aperture and the roll tube extension further includes a set of two second apertures that can be aligned with the output shaft in such a manner that the set of two second apertures can receive the second pin and the second pin can pass through the second pin aperture and both of the set of two second apertures to secure the roll tube extension to the second pin aperture in the output shaft so that the roll tube extension will turn with the output shaft when the second pin is secured in the set of two second apertures and the second pin aperture; wherein the roll tube extension will be engaged with the output shaft when the first pin is inserted in and engaged with the first pin aperture and the first groove, so that the roll tube extension will remain engaged with the output shaft but rotate freely with respect to the output shaft so that the extended modified roll tube can be turned by the hand crank arm if the second pin is removed from both of the set of two second apertures and the second pin aperture to permit the hand crank arm to turn the extended modified roll tube without turning the output shaft.