GB2222118A

GB2222118A - Retractable cover for load carrying vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2222118A
Application number: GB8919260A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Nadin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-08-25
Filing date: 1989-08-24
Publication date: 1990-02-28
Also published as: GB8919260D0; GB8820164D0

Abstract

The cover comprises a P.V.C. sheet (14) having spaced rings (18) on its underside arranged in two lines (16) parallel to and spaced from the sheet edges, the rings being slideably mounted on guide wires (44) fixed above the vehicle sides so that the sheet can be pulled to and from a pleated storage condition at one end of the vehicle. Elastic ropes (22) in loop form are fixable over mountings (45) on the lorry side to hold the cover in its closed position. The cover is secured to the vehicle by ties 28 and pulled into/from a closed condition by a rope threaded through ring 32. A strip 42 of resilient plastics material on the leading edge of the cover permits the cover to be pulled over loads extending above the sides of the vehicle. The cover is especially suitable for use on open topped bulk carrying tipper lorries. <IMAGE>

Description

Cover Assembly This invention relates to cover assemblies, particularly but not exclusively cover assemblies for open topped bulk tipper vehicles.

It is often required to cover bulk tipper vehicles to provide protection of the load from rain, or to prevent dust rising from the load. Conventionally these covers are fitted at the front of the truck body and are pulled across the sides and length of the body by the truck driver. This is often a hazardous job as the driver generally has to walk on the load and/or the top of the body side walls. If the load is dense, for example in the case of limestone, the load may lie too low in the body for the driver. Furthermore high winds can add to the hazards of this task, make it very time consuming and sometimes impossible.

According to the present invention there is provided a cover assembly for an open sided structure, the assembly comprising a cover member, means for mounting one end of the cover member on the structure, guide means mountable along the open side of the structure, the cover member being movable along the guide means between a first position permitting free access to the open side, and a second position closing the open side, and means for retaining the cover member in the second position.

The cover member is preferably formed of a flexible material, which may be a plastics material such as P.V.C.

The guide means may comprise line means mountable in a spaced relationship at respective edges of the open side of the structure. The line means are preferably, in use, mounted directly above the edges of the open side, and may be wire rope.

Hook means slidably engageable on the guide means are preferably provided on the underside of the cover member. The hook means are preferably in the form of rings which are desirably spaced inwardly of the sides of the cover member.

The rings are preferably mounted on longitudinal webbing strips provided on the cover member, and reinforcing strips of P.V.C. may be provided between the rings. A strip of resilient plastics material is preferably provided on the other end of the cover member, permitting the latter to be pulled over objects extending through the opening.

The cover member retaining means is preferably provided along both sides of the cover member and on the other end thereof. The retaining means may comprise a plurality of lengths of rope which may be looped and may be of elastic rope, the lengths of rope being engageable with suitably located projections on the structure.

Means are preferably provided for attaching a rope to the cover member adjacent the other end thereof for pulling the cover member between the first and second positions.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. i is a view from below of part of a cover assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the assembly of Fig. 1 fitted on an open topped vehicle tipper body and in an in use position; Fig. 3 is the same view as Fig. 2 but with the assembly in an out of use position; and rig. 4 is a view from behind of the assembly of Fig. 2.

The drawings show a cover assembly 10 for an open top bulk tipper lorry 12. The assembly 10 comprises a cover 14, for example in the form of a sheet of P.V.C.

Two strips 16 of webbing are welded on one side, the underside in use, of the cover 14, to extend longitudinally, each strip 16 being spaced approximately 45cm from a respective one of the sides of the cover 14.

Four metal rings 18 are mounted on each strip 16, substantially equispaced from each other and from the ends of the cover 14. A reinforcing strip 20 preferably also of P.V.C., is provided on the cover 14 to extend between each pair of opposite rings 18 on the strips 16 and to extend outwardly beyond the respective strips 16.

A plurality of loops 22 of elastic rope are connected along each side of the cover 14 by reinforced eyelets 24. On one end of the cover 14 an end flap 26 is provided. Three ropes 28 are each connected at one end to the flap 26. A loop 30 of rope is provided at the other end of the cover 14 and mounts a ring 32 upon which are mounted two further lengths 34 of rope which connect at their free ends to respective elastic rope loops 36.

Further lengths of rope 38, each mounting at its free end an elastic rope loop 40, is attached one to each corner of the cover 14 by its other end. A strip 42 of resilient plastics material is connected along said end of the cover 14.

Mounted on the top face of the lorry body 12 along each side thereof is a length 44 of wire rope. The ropes 44 extend for the whole length of the lorry body 12 and are spaced above the body sides between brackets 46 at respective ends of the body 12. A tensioning nut and bolt arrangement 48 is provided on each side at the rear end of the body 12.

In use, the end of the cover 14 having the flap 26 is fixed to the front of the body 12 by means of the ropes 28 engaging on hooks (not shown) provided on the body 12. The loops 18 are threaded onto the wires 14 by any suitable method. To pull the cover 14 to a closed position, an extra rope (not shown) with a spring clip at one end, is fitted on the ring 32 and pulled from the back of the lorry 12. The elastic loops 22, 36, 40 are then pulled over corresponding hooks 45 on the lorry body 12. The extra rope can then be removed and stored in any suitable location. To open the cover 14, the loops 22, 36, 40 are pulled from the respective hooks 45, and the extra rope is then re-attached, and pulled from the front of the lorry 12. The cover 14 can be restrained in an open position by any suitable means.

There is thus described above an assembly for covering open topped vehicles which permits the cover to be readily opened or closed irrespective of the wind conditions. The assembly is of relatively simple construction and can thus be inexpensively manufactured.

The simplicity of the construction means that the assembly can be robustly manufactured and thus hardwearing. It should be noted that the one part of the top of the body to which access is necessary, i.e. the front, normally has steps fitted to it. The provision of the strip 42 permits the cover 14 to be pulled over loads which extend above the sides of the body 12 without being damaged thereby. The tension of the wire rope 44 can be adjusted to permit fle > :ing in such situations.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example the cover may be made from a different material and may take a different form. A different number of rings and/or rope loops could be used. Different means could be used to attach the cover to the body at the various different locations.

Claims

1. A cover assembly for an open sided structure, the assembly comprising a cover member, means for mounting one end of the cover member on the structure, guide means mountable along the open side of the structure, the cover member being movable along the guide means between a first position permitting free access to the open side, and a second position closing the open side, and means for retaining the cover member in the second position.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1, in which the cover member is formed of a flexible material.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 2, in which the cover member is formed from a plastics material.

4. An assembly as claimed in Claim 3, in which the cover member is formed from PVC.

5. An assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the glide means comprise line means mountable in a spaced relationship at respective edges of the open side of the structure.

6. An assembly as claimed in Claim 5, in which the line means are, in use, mounted directly above the edges of the open side.

7. An assembly as claimed in Claim 6, in which the line means are wire rope.

8. An assembly as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, in which hook means slidably engageable on the guide means are provided on the underside of the cover member.

9. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8, in which the hook means are in the form of rings spaced inwardly of the sides of the cover member.

10. An assembly as claimed in Claim 9, in which the rings are mounted on longitudinal webbing strips provided on the cover member.

11. An assembly as claimed in any of Claim 9 or Claim 10, in which reinforcing strips of P.V.C. are provided between the rings.

12. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which a strip of resilient plastics material is provided on the other end of the cover member, permitting the latter to be pulled over objects extending through the opening.

13. A cover assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed in the foregoing specification or claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.