A tarpaulin cover having a fabric cover sheet which has an elastic band extending around portions of its perimeter and contained in a hem. A number of spaced cutouts are provided along the hem for exposing the elastic band for tie down hooking and unhooking access. Opposite ends of the elastic cord are secured within the hem around respective rivets that in turn are secured to and passed through the hem with respective terminating ends of the elastic cord secured to itself whereby opposite terminating loop ends of the elastic cord are secured respectively within the hem around these rivets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 This invention relates to an improved means for holding down the free edges
 of a tarpaulin or the like which may be employed on trucks, campers and
 other equipment.
 Present day fire trucks commonly use tarpaulins or tonneau covers over the
 top of upwardly open compartments containing fire hoses, tools, etc.
 Temperature changes make the tarpaulin fit differently and the tarpaulin
 will become loose in hot weather and tight in cold weather.
 With present day tarpaulins used on such fire trucks, the fireman tend to
 skip tarpaulin fasteners in cold weather, and in addition, when the
 firemen walk on the tarpaulin over compartments to find tools or supplies
 or to access stored hose, the tarpaulin tears and is subjected to undue
 strain on the fasteners which commonly break.
 In addition, overloading in the hose bed is also a problem and the firemen
 tend to hold as much equipment and hose on the trucks as possible usually
 resulting in overload and stress on the tarpaulin covers of the prior art
 readily tear when subjected to such abuse.
 Another problem encountered on such fire trucks is that there are many side
 compartments for storing tools and equipment and there is no present day
 system for insuring that the tools and equipment within the compartment
 will stay in place, no matter whether the side compartment is provided
 with or without a door.
 It is a principle object of the present invention to provide a tarpaulin
 cover and a system for vertically covering a shelf pocket provided on the
 side of a fire truck or other motor vehicle which eliminates the
 aforementioned problems incurred with the prior art structures.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The tarpaulin cover of the present invention includes a fabric cover sheet
 having an elastic band extending around desired or selected portions of
 its perimeter and contained in a hem. A plurality of spaced cutouts are
 provided along the hem for exposing the elastic band at positions desired
 for tie down hooking and unhooking access. Opposite ends of the elastic
 cord are secured within this hem around respective rivets that are secured
 to and pass through the hem. Terminating ends of the elastic cord are
 secured to itself whereby opposite terminating loop ends of the elastic
 cord are provided and secured respectively within the hem around the
 respective rivets.
 The tarpaulin cover of the present invention may also be utilized in a
 system for covering a shelf pocket provided on the side of a motor
 vehicle. In this embodiment the tarpaulin cover as described is basically
 the same, but is generally rectangular and at least two of the cutouts are
 provided in opposite comers along a top side of the cover sheet for
 securing these top outer corners to the side wall of the vehicle. The
 bottom side is secured to a bottom edge of the shelf pocket opening which
 the tarpaulin cover is intended to cover.
 In this manner, a shelf pocket provided on the side of a motor vehicle may
 be easily covered by the tarpaulin of the present invention to retain
 tools and other implements in place on the shelf.
 The terminal loop ends of the elastic cord are secured within the hem by
 stainless steel crimp hooks wherein the hook is crimped securely to the
 terminal end of the cord and the other end hooks snugly about itself in
 order to form the terminal end loops.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 Turning to FIG. 1, the tarpaulin cover 10 of the present invention is
 comprised of a fabric cover sheet having an elastic band 12 extending
 around selected portions of its perimeter and contained in hem 13 with a
 plurality of spaced cutouts 16 along the hem for exposing the elastic band
 12 for tie down hooking and unhooking access on hooks 11 which are secured
 to the side panel 17 of the fire truck. The tarpaulin 10 extends entirely
 over the top 18 of the upwardly open fire truck bed to cover the same in
 order to secure objects contained in a compartment (not shown) thereunder.
 Opposite terminating ends 20 of elastic cord 12 are secured within hem 13
 around respective rivets 14 which are secured to and pass through hems 13.
 Respective terminating ends 20 of elastic cord 12 are secured to itself
 with steel crimp hooks 15. This configuration provides terminal loop ends
 21 for the elastic cord which are respectively secured within the hem 13
 around the rivets 14 as illustrated.
 Another embodiment of the tarpaulin cover 10 of the present invention is
 illustrated in a system for vertically covering a shelf pocket 22 provided
 on or in the side 17 of the fire truck.
 Here tarpaulin cover sheet 10 has a top edge 23 and a bottom edge 24 and
 two side edges 25.
 In this embodiment cover sheet 10 is provided with cutouts 16 along the hem
 13 at the upper outside corners of the tarpaulin cover sheet 10 formed
 between top edge 23 and the two side edges 25 for exposing elastic band 12
 at the corners for hooking and unhooking access onto hooks 11 secured to
 the side 17 of the truck panel.
 Opposite terminating ends 20 of elastic cord 12 secured within hem 13 at
 the two side edges 25 around respective rivets 14 with stainless steel
 crimp hooks 15 in the same fashion as illustrated in FIG. 1.
 The bottom edge 24 of tarpaulin cover sheet 10 is secured to a bottom edge
 of the opening 26 of the shelf pocket 22 with spaced eyelets 27 which pass
 through and are secured to the bottom edge 24 tarpaulin 10. Respective
 toggle fasteners 28 are secured to the side 17 of the fire truck panel in
 aligned relationship with eyelets 27 so that they respectively pass
 through the eyelets 27 and are pushed to the downward position as
 illustrated in FIG. 2 to securely retain the bottom edge 24 in position.
 Of course any other desired conventional mechanism or method may be
 utilized to secure the bottom edge 24 of the tarpaulin 10 in FIG.2 to the
 bottom of the shelf pocket 22.
 In the manner shown, objects contained within the shelf pocket 22 are
 therefore easily held in position while the fire truck is underway.
 With some fire trucks, this tarpaulin cover sheet 10, together with the
 shelf pocket 22 might additionally be covered with an outer door that
 lifts upwardly out of the way. In this latter situation the tarpaulin 10
 of FIG. 2 still retains the contents of the shelf pocket 22 in position
 even when the door has been open so that any objects which might have
 shifted within the shelf pocket will not automatically fall out when the
 side door (not shown) is opened.
 Then, the firemen may carefully disconnect the upper comers of the elastic
 cord 12 from the respective hooks 11 to easily catch any falling objects.