Patent ID: 7819262

Claim:
Apparatus for covering a payload of a semitrailer with a tarpaulin cover having tie down “D” rings comprising: an overhead track structure including: a first pair of upright posts spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction of the position of the semitrailer being covered; a second pair of upright posts spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction of the position of the semitrailer being covered; the second pair of upright posts arranged in spaced apart and parallel relation with the first pair of upright posts in a longitudinal direction of the position of the semitrailer being covered; a first travel beam extending horizontally across the top of each of the first pair of upright posts; and a second travel beam extending horizontally across the top of each of the second pair of upright posts; an overhead carriage including a rectangular frame having spaced apart and parallel side beams and a pair of end beams each secured to opposite ends of the side beams; one of the end beams connected to the first travel beam and the other end beam connected to the second travel beam; at least four rotatable cable drums, each upon which a cable is wound, each mounted at a corner of the rectangular frame of the carriage; connectors for connecting free ends of the cables to “D” rings of the tarpaulin; a bi-directional motor connected to a power source; a controller electrically connected to the bi-directional motor for running the motor in either direction; drive shafts connecting the motor with the cable drums for rotation of the drums.