Patent ID: 8186105

Claim:
A retractable load-bearing cover apparatus, comprising: a track defining a path of travel between first and second terminus points; a plurality of sections deployable along said track in a first direction towards a first terminus point, and retractable along said track in a second direction opposite said first direction and toward said second terminus point, adjacent ones of said sections being releasably engageable to one another; a drive system for deploying and retracting said sections along said track; and a storage system for disengaging releasably engaged sections from one another and arranging said disengaged sections into a vertically stacked orientation, with said sections defining respective planes disposed substantially horizontally and in parallel with one another, said storage system including first and second carousels each having a rack including a plurality of stanchions for supporting said sections, said rack being drivable along a storage path, at least a portion of which is substantially perpendicular to said path of travel.