Patent ID: 8424951

Claim:
A reinforced sliding member for use with a bow of a cover assembly, the cover assembly, the bow, and the reinforced sliding member cooperating to permit an open bed truck to be efficiently covered and uncovered, comprising: a) the reinforced sliding member being an open ended clamp; b) the reinforced sliding member cooperating with an enclosed end fixed end member to cover and uncover the open bed truck; c) the reinforced sliding member including a wear bar and a slide clamp with a clip end; d) a fastening means comprising a single nut and bolt assembly securing the wear bar to the slide clamp with the clip end to support the bow in the cover assembly; e) the slide clamp having a clamp aperture; f) the wear bar comprising a cradle and having a cradle aperture; g) the clamp aperture and the cradle aperture being in alignment when joined together and receiving the single nut and bolt assembly therethrough to form the reinforced sliding member; h) the wear bar being separate from the slide clamp with the clip end for ease of repair, or removal and replacement of a single bow which can be removed while leaving any adjacent bows in place; i) the wear bar having an arced end adjacent to the clip end; j) the clip end and the arced end cooperating to form an enclosed end when joined together by the single nut and bolt assembly to contain an actuating cable for the cover assembly; k) the sliding member having a bow groove on a bow receiving end thereof to protect the bow; l) the cradle having a bottom surface; and m) the arced end having at least one ridge to further secure the connection between the sliding member and the cable.