Abstract:
A cover for the bed of a truck/trailer including a plurality of cover segments carried by and secured to a frame secured to the portion of the truck/trailer surrounding the bed. Each of the segments being secured to and overlying the frame and a trough is formed between adjoining segments to channel water away, with the trough passing through slots in the frame and extending beyond the same.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1) Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to removable covers for the bed of a truck or trailer which is composed of multiple segments and more particularly to such a cover having a drain arrangement between adjoining segments for draining rain overboard. 
     2) Description of the Prior Art 
     The great majority of pickup truck bed covers seen in use today are of the one piece, non segmented type. Segmented covers for the beds of trucks and trailers are well known in the prior art, however, none of them provide for adequate drainage for rain which may accumulate between adjoining segments, nor adequately provide for the discharge for such rain overboard from the vehicle, while providing for excellent securement of the adjoining segments to each other and to the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an overlap between adjoining cover segments which serves as a trough for conducting rain or other water laterally and discharging the same overboard. The segments rest upon a peripheral frame, which frame has relieved areas to accommodate the passage there through of the troughs while the frame has openings therein in registration with laterally projecting securing means carried by the segments for locking the cover in place. Since the troughs conduct the water laterally and overboard, no extensive sealing arrangements are necessary between the adjoining segments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the bed of a pickup truck with the bed cover spaced therefrom; 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bed cover of FIG. 1 resting on the adjoining portion of the truck shown fragmentarily, 
     FIG. 3 is a lateral sectional view taken through one of the middle segments of the cover at the location of the locking mechanism therefor; 
     FIG. 4 is a lateral sectional view taken through one of the end segments of the cover at the locatio of the locking mechanism therefor, 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the hinge area indicated on FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the interlocking area indicated on FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the area shown in FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary lateral sectional view taken along the lines  8 — 8  in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, a truck/trailer bed cover is shown at  10  and is adapted to be mounted on and secured to a peripheral frame  12 , which in turn is securely secured to the top  13  of the laterally spaced sides  14  and the front  16  of the truck bed  18  of the truck  19  as by a plurality of peripherally spaced bolts  20 . The frame  12  is comprised of three rail segments, a pair a laterally spaced segments  22  and  24 , and a front segment  26 . The segments  22 ,  24  and  26  are substantially “U” shaped in cross section with the outer leg  28  thereof being shorter than the inner leg  30  thereof, and with the inner leg  30  having a bent over lip  31  thereon; the leg  28  serving merely to provide rigidity to the frame  12 , and the lip  31  also provides added rigidity and also a widened support surface as hereinafter described.. The side segments  22  and  24  each have three slots  32 ,  34  and  36  spaced there along; it being understood that more or fewer slots can be used depending on how many cover segments  38 , 40 , 42  and  44  are being utilized in the cover  10 . The side segments  22  and  24  each have five lock holes  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 , and  54  spaced there along; it being understood that more or less lock holes can be used depending on how many cover segments  38 ,  40 ,  42  and  44  are being utilized. 
     The cover segment  38  is the rear segment of the cover  10 , and the back edge thereof overlies the tailgate  19 A of the truck  19 . Segment  40  is immediately forward of segment  38 , and is hinged thereto by a piano type hinge  56 . The cover segment  44  is the forward most segment and its forward end overlies the front segment  26  of the frame  12 , while the rear end of this cover segment is hinged to the forward end of cover segment  42  by a piano type hinge  58 . Referring now to FIG. 4, the rear cover segment  38  includes a locking arrangement shown generally at  60  which includes a graspable handle  62  rotatably mounted in the segment  38 , and secured at its lower end to a crank  64 , the latter being secured by links  65  and  66  to spring loaded locks  67  and  68  respectively. The locks  67  and  68  include a locking pin  69  and  70 , respectively, with the latter being cooperable with a lock hole  46  in the side frame segments  22  and  24  respectively. Thus, when the cover segment  38  is resting on the frame segments  22  and  24 , the handle  62  can be rotated to allow the pins  69  and  70  to lock the cover segment  38  to the rail segments. The cover segment  40 , which is hinged at its rear edge to the cover segment  38 , can be raised and lowered relative thereto and, when in its lowered position seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, can be locked to the side segments  22  and  24  by a locking arrangement shown generally at  41  which includes a pair of spring loaded locks  71  and  72 , the latter being cooperable with the lock hole  48  in the side segment  22  and  24  respectfully. The locks  71  and  72  are operated by a pull cable  73  connected at its outer ends to the locks and movably suspended at its center by a pillow block  74 . When the cover segment  40  is lowered onto the side segments  22  and  24 , the spring loaded locks are cammed into the openings  48  thereby locking the segment in place. When the lock  60  is actuated to allow the cover segment  38  to pivot upwardly on hinge  56 , the operator can then reach under the cover segment  40  and grasp the pull cable  73  and operate the locking arrangement  41  to release the locks  71  and  72  so that the cover segment  40  can be removed along with the cover segment  38 . 
     The cover segment  42  has a pair of spring loaded locking arrangements (not shown) which are identical to the locking arrangement  41  and which cooperate with the openings  50  and  52  in both of the side segments  22  and  24  to lock the cover segment in place when the cover segment is lowered onto the side segments  22  and  24 . (The spring loaded locks  71  of these locking arrangements are shown in FIG. 2) While one locking arrangement  41  at this location would be operable and probably sufficient, a double locking arrangement is used to give an adequate level of safety and provide this segment as the key segment for affixing the cover  10  to the frame  12 . The segment  42  is hinged to the forward cover segment  44  by the hinge  58  and the segment  44  has a locking arrangement  45 , (not shown, except that the spring loaded lock of this locking arrangement is shown in FIG. 2) which is identical to the locking arrangement  60  on the cover segment  38 . When the cover segment  44  is hinged upwardly, the operator can reach under the cover segment  42  to unlock the locking arrangements thereunder. The forward end of the cover segment  44  overlies the forward segment  26  of the frame  12 . The cover segment  42  has a down turned wall  43  on the rear edge thereof and provided therein are three laterally spaced pocket openings  45  with sealed bottoms, with each receiving a pin  47  securely carried by the down turned wall  49  on the forward edge of the cover segment  40 . The pin  47  and pocket openings  45  provide for a secure yet releaseable relationship between these two cover segments. 
     Between the cover segments  38  and  40 , between the cover segments  40  and  42  and between the cover segments  42  and  44  a trough “T” is provided to prevent rain or other water from leaking therebetween and onto the bed  18  of or contents of the trailer. Referring now to FIGS. 5,  6 ,  7  and  8 , the down turned wall  43  on the cover segment  42  has an extension  80  with a generally “U” shaped configuration extending rearwardly therefrom and underlying the wall  49  to thereby form a trough “T” thereunder, which trough, as seen in FIG. 8, passes through the slot  34  in the leg  30  of the frame segment  22  and extends completely past the outer leg  28  of the frame. The bottom of the trough T rests on and is supported on the bottom of the slot. The opposite end of the trough T likewise passes through the opposite side of the frame  12 . 
     Between the cover segments  38  and  40 , a similar trough T includes an extension  82  carried by the back edge of the segment  40  underlying a wall  83  carried by the front end of the cover segment  38 , and between the cover segments  42  and  44 , a similar trough “T” includes an extension  84  carried by the front edge of the segment  42  underlying a wall  86  carried by the rear end of the cover segment  44 . All three of these trough have the lateral ends thereof extending laterally beyond the outer side of the frame  12 . 
     While only a single embodiment has been shown and described, it is readily apparent that changes can be made therein without departing from this invention as defined in the following claims.