Patent ID: 8226150

Claim:
A roll-up tarp apparatus for attachment to an open top truck trailer, the open top truck trailer having a truck box, the truck box having a top opening, two ends and first and second longitudinal sides, the truck box being further equipped with end caps at each of the two ends, wherein each end cap partially covers the top opening; the roll-up tarp apparatus comprising: a flexible tarp, the tarp having first and second lateral edges and first and second longitudinal edges; wherein the first longitudinal edge can be interconnected to the first longitudinal side of the truck box; an elongated roll bar member attached to the second longitudinal edge of the tarp; the elongated roll bar member having first and second ends; wherein the tarp can be wound around the elongated roll bar member; an arm connecting the elongated roll bar member to the truck box; wherein the arm can selectively actuate movement of the elongated roll bar member over the top opening of the truck box in both an unroll direction to position the tarp in a secured position and a roll-up direction to secure the tarp in an open position; a latch plate that is arranged and configured to be secured to and extend along at least a portion of the second longitudinal side of the truck box; wherein the elongated roll bar member is stored underneath the latch plate when in the secured position; a biasing member interconnected between the truck box and the elongated roll bar member, the biasing member including: a generally non-elastic cord interconnected to one end of the elongated roll bar member; wherein the cord can wind around the elongated roll bar member as the elongated roll bar member moves in the unroll direction; and a tensioning element having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the tensioning element is interconnected to the cord and the second end of the tensioning element can be interconnected to the second longitudinal side of the truck box when the roll-up tarp apparatus is operatively secured to the truck box, such that the biasing member biases the elongated roll bar member in the unroll direction; wherein the generally non-elastic cord slides over a top surface of one of the end caps and the latch plate when the elongated roll bar member moves away from the open position toward the secured position.