Packing and storing device for a flexible cover of a road vehicle

A packing and storing device for a flexible road vehicle cover, comprises a container having an opening through which the cover can be drawn, a drainage gutter in the lower end of the container leading to a drain hole, a rotatable carrier for the cover mounted in the container and a flexible hose connected to the drain hole. Two freely rotatable rollers are provided along opposite edges of the opening. The device is placed in a luggage compartment of a vehicle and the vehicle cover can be drawn into the container, guided by the rollers, by rotating the carrier. Water collecting in the drainage gutter is conveyed to the outside of the vehicle through the hose.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a packing and storing device for a flexible cover 
of a road vehicle. 
It is well known to provide flexible covers, made for example of 
polyvinylchloride (PVC) or canvas, for covering road vehicles, 
particularly cars which are regularly left exposed to the elements. It is 
however both troublesome and time consuming to pack up such covers 
manually each time the cover is to be removed from the car. 
The present invention seeks to provide a device for packing and storing 
such covers in a convenient manner. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the invention, there is provided a packing and storing device 
for a flexible cover of a road vehicle, comprising a container box-like 
designed for accommodation in a luggage compartment of the vehicle and 
having a bottom wall, the container having an opening through which the 
cover can be drawn in a folded condition into and out from the container, 
an elongated drainage gutter in the container below the bottom wall and 
leading to a drain hole, a rotatable carrier for the cover mounted in the 
container, means for rotating the rotatable carrier so as in use to draw 
the cover in a folded condition through said opening and wind it around 
the carrier, and a flexible hose connected to the drain hole so that water 
collecting in the drainage gutter can be conveyed to the outside of the 
vehicle. 
The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, 
with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring firstly to FIGS. 1-3, the packing and storing device shown 
therein comprises a container 10 having a lower body part 11 and a 
separable cover part 12. The base of the lower body part is designed such 
that the container will remain stable when mounted on a flat surface such 
as on the floor of the luggage compartment of a road vehicle and includes 
a drainage gutter 13 extending along one edge. The drainage gutter 13 
terminates in a drain hole 14 provided in a coupler 15 to which a flexible 
hose 16 can be connected. 
The cover part 12 has a recessed portion 17 in its upper surface and a 
rectangular opening 18 is provided in the base of the recessed portion 17. 
Two freely rotatable guide rollers 19 are provided along opposite 
longitudinal edges of the opening 18 between which rollers a flexible car 
cover, which may for example be of canvas or PVC, is drawn into and out 
from the container 10. 
A rotatable carrier for the cover, which carrier is in the form of a 
spindle 20 provided with deeply flanged ends 21 and 22, is mounted 
transversely in the container 10 between facing walls of the lower body 
part 11. 
The flanged end 21 of the spindle is in the form of a pulley wheel and is 
rotatably driven by an electric motor, e.g. a small p.m.d.c. motor 23 
attached by a bracket to the lower body part 11, via a belt drive 24, the 
motor drawing power from the car battery via a lead 25 which can be 
plugged into a cigar socket in the interior of the car. 
The device is mounted on the floor of the luggage compartment of a car as 
shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 9 is secured in place by a bracket 34 which is 
attached to a floorpan 35 of the luggage compartment by screws 36, the 
lower body part 11 being releasably attached to the bracket 34 by screws 
and and wingnuts 37. 
In order to pack a flexible cover 30 fitted over a car 31, the cover is 
first folded to form an elongate bundle extending over the longitudinal 
extent of the car, the first of a number of such folds being shown in FIG. 
4 (cf. FIG. 8). The lid of the car's luggage compartment is then opened. 
The rear end of the folded cover 30 is connected to spindle 20 by a belt 
28 which passes through the opening 18 in the cover part 12 of the device. 
Belt 28 is releasably attached to the spindle 20 using a rivet and eye 
type fastening 38. Belt 28 is forked at its free end 39 (see FIG. 2) and 
attached to the cover 30 at two points spaced by the width of the spindle 
20. 
The motor 23 is energised by depressing a switch button 26 provided in the 
cover part 12 and the belt 28 and subsequently the folded cover 30 is 
drawn into the container 10 (see FIG. 5) and wound onto the spindle 20. 
Any water collected in the container 10 from the cover 30 flows into the 
gutter 13 and is carried away by the hose 16. 
In order to remove the cover from the container 10, it is simply drawn out 
manually as shown in FIG. 6. 
A pair of cranked handles 27 are provided with the device and have square 
sockets 40 for receiving square ends 41 of the spindle 20 (see FIG. 7). 
The cover can thus be rolled up manually on the spindle 20. This may be 
desirable or necessary if the vehicle battery is flat. 
FIG. 2 shows a partition 29 which is in two parts fixed in the lower body 
part 11 and cover part 12 and protects the motor 23 from the belt 28 and 
cover 30 as they are wound onto the spindle 20. 
The above embodiment is given by way of example only and various 
modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without 
departing from the scope of the invention.