Patent ID: 7219928

Claim:
An articulated protective tarpaulin for protecting a towed vehicle comprising: a first element connected to a towing vehicle, and a second element connected to a towed vehicle; both said elements being separate and distinct except for a string retainer having three anchoring points including two that are each attached to one of a pair of attachment frames and said third anchoring point being a pivot anchoring point attached to a second element frame; said first element extending its tarp from said pair of attachment frames towards the towed vehicle until it ends at an end frame; each said attachment frames being attached to said towing vehicle by attachment means; said second element extending its tarp from said second element frame towards a towed vehicle attachment frame; said towed vehicle attachment frame also being attached to said towed vehicle by said attachment means; a secondary string retainer retains said end frame to said towed vehicle attachment frame; said third anchoring point being a pivot around which said first and second elements are allowed to pivot when said vehicles are engaging in turns; a tensioning cable that pulls on one side of said second element frame while giving slack to the other side of said second element frame; said tensioning cable passing through a set of pulleys and starting and ending at tie downs.