Abstract:
A tarpaulin system for an open cargo hold for a vehicle and a method for repairing the tarpaulin system. The tarpaulin system includes a tarpaulin with a number of ribs or bows releasably connected along its length. A movable cable is provided on the cargo hold and the bows are releasably connected to this cable by brackets. The brackets have mounting flanges and cable followers, the mounting flanges being releasably connected to the bows and the cable followers being releasably connected to the cable. When the cable is drawn toward the rear of the cargo hold, the brackets and the bows and tarpaulin connected thereto are drawn toward the rear end of the cargo hold. When the cable is drawn toward the front of the cargo hold, the brackets and therefore the bows and tarpaulin, are drawn toward the front of the cargo hold. If a bow or connecting bracket breaks within the tarpaulin system, it may be disconnected from the tarpaulin and the cable and a replacement component may be reconnected to both the tarpaulin and the cable without disassembly of the entire tarpaulin system.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field  
           [0002]    This invention generally relates to a system for protecting goods during transportation. More particularly, the invention relates to a tarpaulin system for open top cargo holds. Specifically, the invention relates to a detachable mechanism for securing a tarpaulin system to a vehicle.  
           [0003]    2. Background Information  
           [0004]    In the past, trucks with open top cargo holds, such as dump trucks, have needed to be covered occasionally to either protect the cargo from rain or prevent the cargo from flying off the truck as the vehicle travels along the roadways. The traditional method for accomplishing this has been to cover the cargo with a tarpaulin. Typically, a series of bows or ribs, i.e., bowed or slightly convex pieces of wood, fiberglass or steel, has been used to keep the tarpaulin from lying in direct contact with the load in the truck. The front end of the tarpaulin has been attached to an assembly mounted either onto the truck cab or the front end of the bed and the back end of the tarpaulin has been connected to an end bow. The end bow is connected to a motorized system that allows the tarpaulin to be drawn toward the back end of the bed to cover the load or withdrawn toward the front end of the bed to uncover the load. The motorized system has included a continuous cable that connects a drive wheel, mounted near the front end of the bed, to a follower wheel mounted near the back end of the bed. A motor rotates the drive wheel causing the cable to move around the drive wheel and follower wheel. The end bow is connected to the cable so that as the cable is moved, the tarpaulin is drawn either toward the front end of the bed or toward the back end of the bed. A number of other bows are positioned between the end bow and the front end of the tarpaulin. These other bows are connected to the tarpaulin but are not connected to the cable. When the cable moves the end bow toward the front end of the bed, the tarpaulin is collapsed accordion-style with the bows butting up to each other. When the cable moves the end bow toward the back end of the truck bed, the tarpaulin is drawn over the cargo hold and the end bow and other bows keep the tarpaulin a spaced distance off the load.  
           [0005]    This system works well until one of the bows breaks. When this happens, the entire tarpaulin/bow system, including the cable, has to be dismantled so that the broken or damaged bow can be replaced. This job may take two men up to twelve hours to complete.  
           [0006]    There is consequently a need in the art for an improved system for connecting a tarpaulin to a truck and for an improved method of replacing broken or damaged bows with ease and speed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    A tarpaulin system for an open cargo hold for a vehicle and a method for repairing the tarpaulin system are disclosed. The tarpaulin system includes a tarpaulin with a number of ribs or bows releasably connected along its length. One side of the tarpaulin is connected proximate one end of the cargo hold so that one side does not move as the rest of the tarpaulin is moved back and forth across the cargo hold. A movable cable is provided on either the vehicle or the cargo hold and the bows are releasably connected to this cable by a plurality of brackets. The brackets include mounting flanges and cable followers, the mounting flanges being releasably connected to the bows and the cable followers being releasably connected to the cable. When the cable is drawn toward the rear of the cargo hold, the brackets, the bows and the tarpaulin that are connected thereto are drawn toward the rear end of the cargo hold. When the cable is drawn toward the front of the cargo hold, the brackets, bows and tarpaulin are drawn toward the front of the cargo hold. The cable is driven by a motor. If a bow or connecting bracket breaks within the tarpaulin system, it may be disconnected from the tarpaulin and the cable and a replacement component may be reconnected to both the tarpaulin and the cable without disassembly of the entire tarpaulin system.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    The preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a side view of a truck having an improved tarpaulin system mounted thereon;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a top view of a truck of FIG. 1 showing the improved tarpaulin system;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a side view of a bow of the tarpaulin system;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 a  is a perspective view of the bow bracket for the tarpaulin system;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a plan view of the bow bracket of FIG. 3;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the bow bracket of FIG. 3;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the tarpaulin system showing the mechanism for connecting the bow bracket to the tarpaulin;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the cable attachment end of the bow bracket;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of the tarpaulin system connected to the cable;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9 is a partial side view of the system for moving the tarpaulin along the truck bed;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 10 is a partial side view of the tarpaulin system showing the tarpaulin withdrawn from covering the truck bed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]    Referring to FIGS. 1 &amp; 2, there is shown a truck  10 , generally indicated at  10  having a cab  12  and a bed  14 . While truck  10  as illustrated is a dump truck, any other suitable type of vehicle having an open cargo hold type of bed may utilize the present invention, including vehicles such as train cars. A tarpaulin  16  is provided for selectively covering open cargo hold  18  of bed  14 . A plurality of ribs or bows  20  are connected to tarpaulin  16  to draw tarpaulin  16  over cargo hold  18  and to assist in holding tarpaulin  16  off the load (not shown) carried in cargo hold  18 . Tarpaulin  16  preferably is fixedly connected to front end  14   a  of bed  14  or to an assembly  22  proximate front end  14   a  of bed  14  as later described herein with reference to FIG. 9.  
         [0021]    Bows  20  are shown in greater detail in FIG. 3A. Bows  20  may be manufactured from any suitable material such as wood, fiberglass aluminum or steel. Bows  20  preferably have a convexly shaped interior section  20   a  with thinner, flattened ends  20   b  on either side of interior section  20   a.  A sleeve  24  is provided proximate ends  20   b  to allow them to glide relatively smoothly over edges  26  of cargo hold  18 . Sleeve  24  may be manufactured from foam rubber, plastic or any other suitable material. Interior section  20   a  of bows  20  may be received within spaced-apart fabric sleeves (not shown) provided on the underside of tarpaulin  16 .  
         [0022]    As may be most easily seen in FIGS. 4-6, interior section  20   a  of each bow  20  defines a first hole  54 . Tarpaulin  16  includes a plurality of eyes  55  that are each alignable with a first hole  54  in a bow  20 . When eyes  55  of tarpaulin  16  are aligned with first holes  54  of bows  20 , bolts  56  are inserted through eyes  55  and first holes  54 . A washer  58  may be disposed between each bolt  56  and tarpaulin  16  and a nut (not shown) engages bolt  56  to secure tarpaulin  16  and bow  20  together.  
         [0023]    Referring still to FIGS. 4-6, a second hole  44  is provided spaced apart from first hole  54  in each bow  20 . End  20   b  of each bow  20  connects to a movable cable  34  by way of a bracket  36 . Bracket  36  includes a plurality of mounting flanges  38  for engaging end  20   b  of each bow  20 , and a cable follower  40  for slidingly engaging cable  34 . The longitudinal axis of mounting flange  38  is disposed substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of cable follower  40 . Mounting flange  38  of each bracket  36  is generally U-shaped in cross section (FIG. 7) having a base  38   a  and generally parallel and spaced apart side walls  38   b,    38   c  that extend upwardly and perpendicularly from base  38   a.  Mounting flange  38  is configured to receive end  20   b  of bow  20  thereon in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of base  38   a.  Base  38   a  defines an aperture  42  therein. Second holes  44  in bows  20  align with apertures  42  when ends  20   b  of bows  20  are received on mounting flanges  38 . Bolts  46 , washers  48   a,    48   b  and nuts  50  are used to detachably secure mounting flanges  38  to ends  20   b.  Side walls  38   b,    38   c  limit rotational motion of end  20   b  of bow  20  and also assist in ensuring that aperture  42  and second hole  44  are easily and quickly aligned.  
         [0024]    Cable follower preferably is a clamp  40  that is generally C-shaped in cross-section (FIG. 5), having an upper section  60  and a lower section  62 . Upper section  60  and lower section  62  define a cavity  64  therebetween. Terminal edges  60   a,    62   a  of upper and lower sections  60 ,  62 , are substantially parallel to each other and define a slot  66  therebetween. Slot  66  lies substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of cable follower  40 . Cavity  64  of cable follower  40  is configured to receive a continuous cable  34  through slot  66 . Cable follower  40  clamps bracket  36  onto cable  34 .  
         [0025]    Referring to FIGS. 9 &amp; 10, tarpaulin  16  is moved backward and forward over cargo hold  18  by cable  34 . Cable  34  is connected to a motor  28  via a drive system. Drive system includes a drive wheel  30  disposed near front end  14   a  of bed  14 ; a follower wheel  32  disposed near back end  14   b  of bed  14  and continuous cable  34  is wound around connecting drive wheel  30  and follower wheel  32 .  
         [0026]    Referring to FIGS. 6, 9 and  10 , in operation, at least one terminal bow  20 C and a plurality of intermediate bows  20 D are detachably connected to tarpaulin  16  (FIGS. 9 &amp; 10). Bows  20 C,  20 D are inserted into fabric slots (not shown), if provided, on the underside of tarpaulin  16 . A bolt  56  is inserted through washer  48 , eye  55  in tarpaulin  16  and then into first hole  54  of bow  20 C. A nut (not shown) is used to secure bolt  56  in position and thereby secure tarpaulin  16  and bow  20 C together. Bow  20 C is connected to cable  34  in the following manner. Each end  20   b  of bow  20 C is inserted into mounting flange  38  of bracket  36 C. A bolt  46  is passed through aperture  42  and second hole  44  in bow  20 C after positioning washers  48   a,    48   b.  Bolt  46  is secured into place by nut  50 . Brackets  36 C and  36 D are attached to cable  34  by sliding cable follower  40  onto cable  34  with cable  34  entering cable follower  40  through slot  66 . Cable follower  40  may then be crimped onto cable  34  by using pliers or some other suitable device to force upper section  60  and lower section  62  inwardly toward each other. This crimping narrows the distance between edges  60   a  and  62   a  so that the width of slot  52  is reduced and thereby preventing cable  34  from being withdrawn from cable follower  40 . Bows  20 C and  20 D are connected to cable  34  in a similar manner, but cable followers  40  for bows  20 C and  20 D are not crimped to the same degree that bracket  36 C is crimped, but are instead sufficiently crimped to hold cable  34  in bracket  36 C but allowing cable  34  to slide freely through cavity  64  of bracket  36 C. Stops  68   a,    63   b  are provided on cable  34  and are disposed on either side of bracket  36 C to limit the sliding movement of bracket  36 C relative to cable  34 . When bows  20 C and  20 D are secured to cable  34  and tarpaulin  16 , the system is operational.  
         [0027]    In order to draw tarpaulin  16  over cargo hold  18  to cover a load therein, the operator activates a switch (not shown) to start motor  28 . Motor  28  powers drive wheel  30  causing cable  34  to move in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 9. As cable  34  moves, bracket  36 C allows cable  34  to slide along inside it until bracket  36 C engages stop  68   a.  Any further movement of cable  34  causes bracket  36 C to move with cable  34 . This movement draws terminal bow  20 C which is connected to bracket  36 C, in the same direction as cable  34 , thereby causing tarpaulin  16  to be drawn toward back end  14   b  of bed  14 . Cable  34  will continue to move until stop  68   a  engages follower wheel  32 . Because bow  20 D is connected to tarpaulin  16  and is slidably engaged with cable  34 , when tarpaulin  16  is drawn toward back end  14   b  of bed  14 , bow  20 D is also drawn toward back end  14   b  of bed  14  by tarpaulin  16 . When cable  34  ceases to move, tarpaulin  16  covers cargo hold  18 .  
         [0028]    When the operator desires to move tarpaulin  16  in the opposite direction and uncover the load (not shown) in cargo hold  18 , the switch (not shown) is activated in the opposite direction. This causes cable  34  to move in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 10. As cable  34  moves, bracket  36 C allows cable  34  to slide along inside its cavity  64  until bracket  36 C comes into engagement with stop  68   b.  Further movement of cable  34  causes bracket  36 C to be moved with cable  34 , causing terminal bow  20 C to be drawn along with bracket  36 C and thereby dragging tarpaulin  16  along with terminal bow  20 C. As terminal bow  20 C moves toward front end  14   a  of bed  14 , it engages bow  20 D. Further movement of cable  24  causes bow  20 D and abutting terminal bow  20 C to move in the same direction as cable  34 . The section of tarpaulin  16  lying between bow  20 D and  20 C is caused to fold. Movement of cable  34  continues until bracket  36 D engages assembly  22 . At this stage, tarpaulin  16  has been drawn toward front end  14   a  of bed  14  and cargo hold  18  has been uncovered. A plurality of additional bows  20  may be positioned between terminal bow  20 C and  20 D. Each of these additional bows  20  function in a similar manner to bow  20 D.  
         [0029]    The present invention makes it easier to replace damaged bows  20 . If a bow  20 , positioned anywhere along the length of tarpaulin  16 , breaks and needs to be replaced, the operator simply locates the damaged bow  20 , disconnects bolts  56  and  46  on either end of bow  20 , thereby detaching the same from the system. Bracket  36  remains attached to cable  34 , the operator takes a replacement bow and reinserts bolts  56  and  46  so as to connect the replacement bow to tarpaulin  16  and to mounting flange  38 . Bows  20  that are not damaged remain in position on tarpaulin  16  while the damaged bow is being replaced. Additionally, cable  34  is kept in the same position on drive wheel  30  and follower wheel  32  and the tension in cable  34  is maintained.  
         [0030]    Tarpaulin system may also be repaired by replacing a damaged cable follower  40 . In this instance, the operator locates the damaged cable follower  40 , releases the cable follower  40  from cable  34  by prying edges  60   a,    62   a  apart from each other so that the width of slot  66  is increased, draws cable follower  40  off cable  34  by allowed cable  34  to be pulled through slot  66 . Bolt  46  is removed to detach bow  20  from bracket  36 . A replacement cable follower is slid onto cable  34  so that cable  34  is received into the cavity  64  in the replacement cable follower  40 . Upper and lower sections  60 ,  62  are crimped together so as to clamp cable  34  inside the replacement cable follower. If the cable follower of bracket  36 C is being replaced, upper and lower sections  60 ,  62  would be crimped together so as to lock cable  34  within bracket  36 C. If the cable follower of bracket  36 D is being replaced, upper and lower sections  60 ,  62  would be crimped together so as to allow cable  34  to slide within bracket  36 D. Bolt  46  is then inserted through second hole  42  and aperture  44  and is secured in place by nut  50 .  
         [0031]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Bows  20  may be of any other suitable configuration desired such as substantially U-shaped, having a flat interior section for engaging tarpaulin  16  and two spaced-apart parallel side walls that extend downwardly from and perpendicularly to the interior section. Upper section  60  and lower section  62  of cable follower  40  may be integrally formed as is shown in FIG. 5, or may be formed as two separate sections that abut each other on one side. While mounting flange  38  and cable follower  40  are shown to be generally U-shaped and C-shaped respectively in the attached drawings, any other suitably configured mounting flanges and cable followers may be used to secure cable  34  to end  20   b  of bow  20 . For example, mounting flange  38  may simply be a flat plate (i.e., without side walls  38   b,    38   c ) or if end  20   b  of bow  20  is arrow-shaped, mounting flange  38  may be configured to be similarly arrow-shaped. In the same way, cable follower  40  may be two concavely-shaped sections that are connected together by bolts. Alternatively, the cable follower  40  may consist of a flat plat that clamps the cable to any part of mounting flange  38 . Any suitable configuration of mounting flange and cable follower may be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0032]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.  
         [0033]    Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.