WO2008114055A1

WO2008114055A1 - Sheeting cover

Info

Publication number: WO2008114055A1
Application number: PCT/GB2008/050195
Authority: WO
Inventors: Danny Eglinton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-03-19
Filing date: 2008-03-19
Publication date: 2008-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-19
Also published as: GB2460605B; GB0708787D0; GB0705215D0; GB2460605A; GB0918108D0

Abstract

A fabric sheeting cover (20) for an open-topped goods container (11) has a rectangular main area (21) for overlying the container and a pair of side flaps (23) extending one from each long side edge (22) of the main area. Elastic cords (28) connect to a pulling location (26) disposed centrally along the long edge of the side flap (23) and further elastic cords (29) connect to the end corners (27) of the side flap. The further cords (29) fold the corner regions (24) of the side flap to overlie the remainder of the side flap and the cords (28) connected to the pulling location (26) fold the entire side flap (23) to overlie the main area (21), thereafter permitting stowage of the cover (20) on a roller. The side flaps (23) are deployed by pulling down on the pulling location (26) against the force of the elastic cords (28) and then tying down that pulling location. Thereafter, the corner regions (24) are deployed by pulling down on the end corners (27) and then tying down those corners, using an elastic cord (38) attached to the end corners.

Description

SHEETING COVER

This invention relates to a sheeting cover for an open-topped goods container of generally rectangular horizontal cross-section, to a sheeting system for an open-topped goods container and further to a vehicle whenever fitted with a sheeting system of this invention. Tipper-trucks having open-topped goods containers are widely used for the carriage of waste materials, soil, building rubble, some farm produce and so on. In many countries it is a requirement of the legislation that when goods are carried in open-topped containers, the open tops are sheeted over with a cover, in order to prevent inadvertent loss from the container, which otherwise could lead to environmental pollution and danger to other road users. Though it is possible to sheet a container with a simple rectangular tarpaulin of a size greater than the area of the container, by tying down the edges of the tarpaulin with ropes, that is a slow and tedious process which greatly increases the turn- round time when the container is to be loaded or unloaded. Mechanical sheeting systems for open-topped containers are known, where a mechanism is arranged to deploy a cover over the open top of a container and to retract that cover, as and when required. A common system has a roller mounted adjacent the front end of the container, the cover being wound on the roller. A housing may be provided at least above and in front of the roller, to protect the cover when wound on the roller. A pair of arms is pivoted to the truck chassis, one each side of the container and approximately halfway along the length thereof, one end of the cover being attached to a bar extending between the upper ends of the arms. A hydraulic or pneumatic ram arrangement is provided to pivot the arms between a first position where the bar is adjacent the roller and a second position where the bar is adjacent the rear end of the container, movement of the arms to that second position deploying the cover over the container by unwinding the cover from the roller. The roller may be spring-urged or power driven so as to re-wind the cover on the roller as the arms move from their second position back to their first position, so stowing the cover, or a manual crank arrangement could be provided for this purpose. Ever tighter legislative requirements now insist on covers of the kind described above having side curtains, to prevent loss of load through gaps which inevitably occur between the long edges of the cover and the container, when the vehicle is under way. Such side curtains are normally of rectangular shape and hang down alongside the side walls of the container, there being a series of eyelets along the lower edges of the curtains. A cord is then used to tie those eyelets to suitable points on the container or truck chassis to ensure the side curtains are pulled tight and remain so during travel of the truck. When the cover is to be stowed, the side curtains must be released and then folded up to overlie the main area of the cover. This is difficult to perform without the operator climbing up on to the container. Further, poor folding of the side curtains can rapidly lead to jamming of the roller re-wind mechanism. Though still easier than sheeting an open-topped container entirely manually, the use of such side curtains again greatly increases the turn-round time for the truck. A sheeting cover and a sheeting system for use with an open-topped goods container is described in my earlier International Patent Publication No. WO 2005/053983 (hereinafter referred to as said publication). The cover described has a main area which overlies the open top of the container and a pair of triangular side flaps which extend downwardly from the main area, when the cover has been deployed to protect the open top of the container. The invention of said publication concerns a system arranged to facilitate the deployment of the cover and its side curtains, and subsequently the folding of the side curtains onto the main area of the cover, when the cover is to be stowed, for example when the container is to loaded or unloaded, or for certain types of vehicles, removed from the vehicle and replaced by another.

A problem arises with the cover and system of said publication in the case of a vehicle adapted to carry a variety of different containers, and particularly containers having different depths, when the vehicle itself is provided with a storage device and deployment arrangement for the sheeting cover. The storage device typically comprises a roller on which the cover is wound when not deployed, the storage device being disposed on the vehicle so as to be at the forward end of a carried container and at a sufficient height for the tallest container to be carried by the vehicle.

When a sheeting cover of said publication is employed with a relatively shallow container, the main area of the sheeting cover when deployed may be several tens of centimetres and possibly as much as one metre or more above the open top of the container. Deployment of the side flaps will tend to pull downwardly the main area of the cover but there are still likely to be relatively large triangular shaped gaps between the side flaps and the main area of the cover, towards each end of the container. It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a sheeting cover for an open-topped goods container and also a sheeting system employing such a cover, wherein the cover provides side flaps and which is configured to allow easy deployment of the cover and also rapid return of the side flaps to a folded position, where those side flaps overlie the main area of the cover. Further, the sheeting system of this invention particularly lends itself for use with a vehicle which may carry a full-height open-topped container and also a relatively shallow container and still obtain effective covering of a carried load.

According to this invention, there is provided a fabric sheeting cover for an open-topped goods container of essentially rectangular horizontal cross- section, comprising:

- a generally rectangular main area for overlying the open top of the container and having a pair of opposed side edges and a pair of opposed end edges;

- a pair of side flaps extending one from each of said side edges, each side flap being moveable with respect to the main area between a folded position where the flap overlies the main area and a deployed position where the side flap extends downwardly from the main area, each side flap having a free edge opposed to the associated side edge, a pulling location generally centrally disposed along the free edge, and a pair of attachment points disposed adjacent said free edge in corner regions of the side flap at or adjacent the ends of the free edge thereof; - A -

- elastic members connecting the side flaps to the main area of the cover and arranged to pull the side flaps to their folded positions;

- an elastic cord associated with the attachment point of each side flap and arranged to bias the corner region containing the respective attachment point to a folded configuration where at least part of the corner region overlies the remainder of the side flap;

- pull-means for each side flap and associated with the pulling location thereof so that when tension is applied to the pull-means the respective side flap is unfolded against the bias provided by the elastic members thereby to move the side flap to its deployed position; and

- tie-down means for each side flap arranged to allow the securing of the side flap in its fully deployed position with the corner regions in their unfolded condition.

The arrangement of sheeting cover of this invention for an open-topped container allows the container to be sheeted in a rapid and effective manner, requiring only a minimum of input by an operator, such as a truck driver. The deployment of the main area of the cover is undertaken in essentially the same manner as with existing mechanical covers and so is familiar to truck drivers, and the deployment and securing down of the side flaps is fast, effective and safe to perform. Further, stowing of the cover is also easy and fast; the side flaps retract to their folded position where they overlie the main area of the cover when the tie-down means are released, whereafter the cover may be rewound on a storage roller at the forward end of a carried container.

It will be appreciated that each side flap of the sheeting cover includes corner regions which are adapted to fill in an area which otherwise would not be covered by the side flaps of the cover of said publication, when the sheeting cover is used with a container of a relatively shallow depth. Each corner region is provided with a respective elastic cord which may be stretched out so as to pull the corner region to its unfolded condition; when the cord is released, the corner region is folded so as to partially overlie the side flap and the main area of the cover, such that on allowing the overall side flap to move to its folded condition, the entire side flap overlies the main area of the cover. This allows the cover then to be stowed for example on a roller. Thus, though an operator must perform a further activity in order to fully deploy the wing included as a part of each side flap, and subsequently to release each wing for folding, the time required for performing this is fairly small and will not impact significantly on the turn-round time of a vehicle fitted with a sheeting system of this invention. Equally, the operator does not have to climb up the side of the container to ensure proper folding and deployment.

Preferably, the corner regions of each side flap are generally triangular in shape and extend downwardly from the main area end edge. The tie-down means may include a tie for each corner region of each side flap, which tie has one end attached to the side flap at or in the region of the associated attachment point and is arranged for securing to a container with which the cover is used. The tie may comprise an elastically-extensible member having a plurality of apertures along the length thereof to allow the member to be secured to a component with a selected tension therein, but more preferably, the tie comprises a flexible tension member which extends between the attachment point of the corner region and a further point adjacent to the pulling location on that side flap. The flexible tension member may thus be used to unfold the respective corner region against the bias provided by the elastic cord associated with the attachment point of that corner region. When unfolded, the flexible tension member may serve as the tie-down means for the corner region. Preferably, the tension member is elastically-extensible, thus allowing the securing thereof to a suitable point on the container or vehicle chassis, with a sufficient tension in the member. In one embodiment, the elastic cord associated with one side flap has one end connected to the attachment point of that side flap and has its other end connected to the main area of the cover. The elastic cord may pass through a guide (such as a loop, ring or possibly a pulley) attached to the main area of the cover remote from said one side flap, the other end of the cord being connected to the main area of the cover nearer said one side flap than the guide. Alternatively, the elastic cord associated with an attachment point of one side flap may have one end connected to said attachment point, the other end being connected to the attachment point of the other side flap at the same end of the main area. In this case, the elastic cord may pass through a pair of guides attached to the main area of the cover and spaced apart in the width direction thereof, the cord from said one attachment point initially passing through the guide further from that attachment point and then through the guide nearer that attachment point with the other end of the cord connected to the attachment point of the other side flap. Most preferably, the elastic members connecting the side flaps to the main area comprise elastic cords which are arranged to pull the side flaps to their folded positions and which are elastically stretched as the side flaps are moved to their deployed positions by the respective pull-members. Release of the flaps when at their deployed positions allows the flaps to return under the action of the elastic members to their folded positions overlying the main area of the cover, whereafter the cover may be stowed, exposing the open top of the container.

Each side flap may have a pair of elastic members associated therewith, each extending from the side flap at or adjacent the pulling location thereof to respective positions on the main area of the cover at or adjacent the end edges thereof. The pair of elastic members associated with each side flap may comprise a single continuous extensible elongate cord the ends of which are secured to said respective positions at or adjacent the end edges of the main area, the central region of the cord acting on the side flap in the region of the pulling location. The central region of the cord may run through a guide attached to the side flap in the pulling location thereof. More than one elastic member may be provided to ensure a sufficient return force for the weight of the side flap.

For each side flap, one embodiment of pull-means may comprise a flexible tension member attached to the side flap in the region of the pulling location. That flexible tension member conveniently comprises a flexible wire rope. In the alternative, the pull-means may comprise a line extending between the region of the pulling location on the side flap and a second point adjacent the junction between that side flap and the main area of the cover. Such a pulldown means may be accessed using a standard pole hook, to pull down the side flap. In the alternative, there may be a flexible tension member running on said line and which may be pulled down so as to deploy the side flap. In this way the pull-down means may be accessed by pulling the flexible tension member.

Preferably, the tie-down means includes, for each side flap, a flexible tension member connected to the side flap at the pulling location thereof, the flexible tension member being securable to a lower part of the container or a vehicle chassis carrying the container. Such a tension member could be permanently attached to the side flap at the pulling location thereof or the tie- down means for each side flap could comprise a ring attached to the material of the cover and to which a suitable strap may be connected. In the latter case, the strap may include a rigid portion to facilitate the connection thereof to the ring, and further may include an elastically-extensible portion, in order to maintain tension on the cover, when tied down.

One form of tie-down means is elastically-extensible and comprises a member having a plurality of apertures along the length thereof to allow the member to be secured to a component with a selected tension therein.

Alternatively, the tie-down means for each side flap may also serve as the pull-down means for each side flap. In this case, there may be provided a single flexible tension member which comprises both the pull-means therefor and the tie-down means therefor, said single flexible tension member being secured to the cover at the pulling location thereof. Once the single flexible tension member has been used to unfold the respective flap against the bias provided by the elastic members, that member may be secured to a suitable point on the container or vehicle chassis, so as to hold the flap in its deployed position. Preferably however, the tie-down means is separate from the pull- means.

This invention also provides a fabric sheeting cover for an open-topped goods container of essentially rectangular horizontal cross-section, comprising: - a generally rectangular main area for overlying the open top of the container and having a pair of opposed side edges and a pair of opposed end edges;

- a pair of side flaps extending one from each of said side edges, each side flap being moveable with respect to the main area between a folded position where the flap overlies the main area and a deployed position where the side flap extends downwardly from the main area;

- a generally rectangular rear curtain extending from one end edge of the main area and being moveable between a folded position where the curtain is folded back either on itself or on the main area and a deployed position where the curtain is unfolded;

- a pair of guides attached to the cover on the main area or on an upper region of the rear curtain and spaced apart across the width thereof;

- an elongate elastically-extensible member passing through the two guides and having its two ends secured one to each of the two corner regions respectively of the rear curtain remote from the main area; and

- securing means associated with each said corner region of the rear curtain and arranged for attachment to a fixed point to allow the securing of the rear curtain in its deployed position; whereby the elastically-extensible member pulls the two corner regions of the rear curtain towards the main area when the securing means are released, thereby drawing the rear curtain to its folded position.

The securing means may comprise an elastically-extensible member having a plurality of apertures along the length thereof to allow the member to be secured to a component with a selected tension therein.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a truck having a removable open- topped container and fitted with the sheeting system;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sheeting cover of the present invention when initially deployed over the container of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 and Figure 4 are perspective views illustrating the use of a standard hook for deploying the side flap;

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the securing of the side flap in its deployed position; Figure 6 and Figure 7 are perspective views illustrating the deployment and securing of the corner regions of the side flaps;

Figure 8 is a detailed view on an enlarged scale of the connection between a cover side flap and the elastic cord associated therewith;

Figure 9 is a detailed view on an enlarged scale of the connection between a corner region of a side flap and an end wall of a container;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the rear of the container of Figure 1 employing the rear curtain of the present invention;

Figure 1 1 is a plan view of the cover when deployed over the open- topped container of Figure 1 ; and Figure 12 is a perspective view of the sheeting cover of the present invention fully deployed over the container of Figure 1 .

Referring initially to Figure 1 , there is shown a truck 10 carrying a demountable relatively shallow open-topped container 1 1 . A housing 12 containing a stowage roller (not shown) is mounted on the truck chassis 13 by a ram 14 so that the vertical position of the housing 12 may be adjusted to suit the container being carried. A sheeting cover is wound on the roller within the housing 12 but in Figure 1 , the cover is in its stowed position wound on the roller and so is not visible. Typically, the container 1 1 is wheeled and runs on rails provided on the truck chassis 13, the truck having an hydraulic ram arrangement in order to allow the container to be pulled on to the chassis and to run the container off the chassis, as well as to allow tipping of the container to discharge a carried load. The invention is equally applicable to other kinds of container such as a container permanently secured to a truck, and also to railway wagons when fitted with containers. Consequently, the construction of the truck and container shown in the drawings forms no part of the present invention and will not be described in further detail here. In order to deploy the sheeting cover contained within the housing 12 over the open top of the container 1 1 , the truck is provided with a pair of arms 16 each pivoted at its lower end 17 to the vehicle chassis and having a bar (not shown in Figure 1 ) extending between the upper ends 18 of the arms 16. A hydraulic ram (not shown) is associated with each arm to effect rearward and forward pivoting movement of the arms. The end of the cover wound on the roller in the container 1 1 is secured to the bar extending between the upper ends 18 of the arms 16 such that pivoting movement of the arms from their position shown in Figure 1 to their position shown in Figures 2 and 3 deploys the cover 20 over the open top of the container, as shown in those Figures.

The cover 20 defines a main area 21 (see also Figure 1 1 ) of an essentially rectangular shape and having two long edges 22 from each of which depends a respective side flap 23 also of generally rectangular shape. That side flap includes a pair of corner regions 24 each of generally triangular shape, with the area 25 of the side flap between the corner regions 24 also being of a generally triangular shape. Centrally of the area 25 is an eyelet defining a pulling location 26 for the side flap. Adjacent the corners of the side flap remote from the main area 21 and thus in the corner regions 24 is a respective attachment point 27. Elastic cords 28 are connected to the main area 21 of the cover 20 and also to the pulling location 26 in order to fold the side flap to overlie the main area 21 of the cover, as shown in the upper half of Figure 1 1 . Further elastic cords 29 are connected to the attachment points 27, in order to fold the corner regions of the side flap to overlie the remainder of the side flap and also partially the main area of the cover, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, as well as in the lower right-hand part of Figure 1 1 . The precise details of the cover 20, including its side flaps 23 and the arrangement of the elastic cords 28 and 29 will be described in further detail below.

A pull-cord 31 and tie-down strap 32 are associated with the pulling location 26 of each side flap 23. As shown in Figure 3, the pull-cord 31 extends from the pulling location 26 towards the end of the sheeting cover nearer the front of the container. In principle, the pull-cord could extend towards the end of the cover nearer the rear of the container or two pull-cords could be provided in association with the pulling location, one extending forwardly and the other extending rearwardly. The tie-down strap 32 is in the form of a rubber strap having a series of apertures 33 along its length allowing the strap to be attached to a hook provided on the container or on the vehicle chassis, with a chosen tension in the strap.

The side flap is pulled down from its folded condition shown in Figures 2 and 3 against the force of the elastic cords 28 by the use of a standard pole hook 34. This is engaged with the pull-cord 31 and then is heaved downwardly as shown in Figures 3 and 4, so pulling down the triangular area 25 of the side flap until the tie-down strap 32 can be reached by an operator. The tie-down strap 32 is then grasped and heaved lower as shown in Figure 5, so that a selected aperture 33 in the strap can be secured to a hook 35 on the container 1 1 or on the vehicle chassis.

The elastic cords 28 are stretched as the triangular area 25 of the side flap is deployed as described above. Consequently, when the tie-down strap 32 is released from the container or vehicle chassis, those cords pull the side flap 23 upwardly to overlie the main area of the cover. In Figures 4 and 5, only one side flap is visible and so only one pair of elastic cords 28 is shown but the arrangement of the side flap and elastic cords is duplicated on the other side of the cover and is deployed and released in the same manner.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate two steps subsequent to the initial deployment of the cover from that shown in Figure 5, in order to unfold the corner regions 24 of the side flap 23. Those corner regions 24 are held in a folded condition by the further elastic cords 29. For each corner region, one end of the associated elastic cord 29 is secured to the attachment point 27 of that corner region and the other end of cord 29 is attached to the main area 21 of the cover at location 37. In addition, an elastic pull-cord 38 for the corner region has one end secured to the attachment point 27 of that corner region and its other end secured to the triangular area 25 of the side flap, adjacent the pulling location 26 thereof.

When the corner region 24 is in its folded condition, as shown at the left in Figure 6, the elastic pull-cord 38 hangs with essentially no tension or only a small tension in the cord. When the corner region is to be unfolded, the elastic pull-cord 38 is pulled downwardly, as shown in Figure 6, so unfolding that corner region 24 against the bias provided by the further elastic cord 29. The pull-cord 38 is then pulled downwardly further, as shown in Figure 7, and is engaged with a hook 39 provided on an end wall 40 of the container 1 1 , as shown on the right in Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 8 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the connection between a cover side flap 23 and an elastic cord 28 associated therewith. As shown, the elastic cord 28 loops through a ring 42 secured at the pulling location 26 on the generally triangular area 25 of the side flap. The side flap pull-cord 31 , corner region pull-cord 38 and tie-down strap 32 are all connected to the pulling location 26.

Figure 9 is a detail view of the connection between a corner region 24 of a side flap 23 and the front end wall 43 of the container 1 1 . The elastic pull- cord 38 associated with that corner region 24 is simply passed under a hook 44 provided on that end wall 43, so securing the corner region 24 in its deployed position. When the cover 20 is to be stowed once more the pull-cord 38 is released from the hook 44 so allowing the corner region to fold back under the action of the associated further elastic cord 29. Of course, these actions are separately repeated for both corners of both side flaps.

Figure 10 illustrates the rear of a container 1 1 employing the sheeting cover 20 of this invention. The cover 20 is provided with a rear curtain 47 of a generally rectangular shape which hangs down from the rear edge of the main area 21 of the cover, so as to lie against the end wall 40 of the container 1 1 . An elastic cord 48 is attached at its two ends to the lower corners 49 of the rear curtain 47, the cord 48 extending up from one corner 49 to the main area 21 , then through two spaced-apart ring loops 50,51 and down to the other corner 49. The cord is sufficiently tensioned to draw the rear curtain to a folded position where the curtain is folded approximately in half. Two attachment straps 52 are attached to the rear curtain 47 one to each lower corner respectively. When the cover 20 is to be fully deployed and the rear curtain dropped down to overlie the end wall 40 of the container, the attachment straps 52 at the two corner regions are pulled downwardly, causing the rear curtain 47 to unfold against the bias provided by the elastic cord 48. The two attachment straps are engaged with respective hooks 53 provided on both sides of the container 1 1 , to hold the rear curtain in its deployed position as shown in Figure 10. When the cover 20 is to be stowed once more the straps 52 are released from the hooks 53 so allowing the rear curtain 47 to be moved to its folded position once more, under the action of the elastic cord 48. Figure 1 1 is a plan view of the cover 20 of this invention with one side flap 23 in its stowed position (the flap of the upper half of the Figure) and the other side flap unfolded but for clarity shown in the same plane as the main area 21 of the cover. In the upper half of Figure 1 1 , triangular area 25 is folded to overlie the main area 21 ; both corner regions 24A and 24B have been folded to their stowed positions where those corner regions as well as the triangular area 25 lie wholly within the confines of the main area 21 . In the lower half of Figure 1 1 , corner region 24C is shown fully deployed and corner region 24D is shown folded over the deployed side flap. It can be seen that the further elastic cords 29 extend from the attachment point 27 of each corner region 24 of the side flaps 23.

Two different arrangements for the further elastic cords 29 are illustrated in Figure 1 1 . In both configurations, one end 29A of the further elastic cord 29 is secured to attachment point 27. As shown on corner regions 24A and 24C, the other end 29B of the further elastic cord 29 is attached to the main area 21 . In this configuration, the cord 29 extends from corner region 24A and passes through a ring 60 attached to the main area of the cover 20 and has its other end 29B connected centrally to the main area of the cover. In the same way, respective further elastic cord 29 extends from corner region 24C and passes through ring 61 attached to the main area of the cover and has its other end 29B connected centrally to the main area of the cover, adjacent the first- mentioned further elastic cord. Alternatively, as shown on corner regions 24B and 24D, the other end of the further elastic cord 29 may be attached to the respective attachment point 27 of the opposed corner region of the opposed side flap 23. In this way, a single further elastic cord 29 extends from one attachment point 27 and loops through rings 60,61 on the main area of the cover 20, to bias the opposed corner regions 24B, 24D of the side flaps to their folded conditions.

The corner region pull-cord 38 is clearly shown for the lower left-hand corner region 24C, in Figure 1 1 . This pull-cord is pulled downwardly to deploy the corner region and then serves to tie down the deployed corner region, by being engaged with hook 44 as described above, provided on an end wall 40 of the container 1 1 .

Figure 12 illustrates a truck carrying a relatively shallow container 1 1 with the sheeting cover 20 fully deployed over that container. Both corner regions 24 of each side flap 23 are connected to the adjacent end wall of the container as described above. Rear curtain 47 is secured to the container by attachment straps 52. If the cover is used with a relatively high container, there may be no need to deploy the corner regions 24; in this case only the generally triangular area 25 of the two side flaps 23 need be deployed, with the corner regions 24 remaining in their folded conditions, held there by the respective further elastic cords 29. Though not shown in the drawings, the long side edges and the short rear edge of the main area 21 of the cover 20 may be provided with an elastic cord running around those edges, in much the same manner as known forms of load cover not including the side flaps 23 of this invention. Such a cord may be threaded through a series of spaced eyelets along those edges, to permit the tying down of the main area of the cover in essentially the same manner as is done with the known forms of load cover if for some reason the side flaps are not to be deployed.

Claims

1 . A fabric sheeting cover for an open-topped goods container of essentially rectangular horizontal cross-section, comprising:

- a pair of side flaps extending one from each of said side edges, each side flap being moveable with respect to the main area between a folded position where the flap overlies the main area and a deployed position where the side flap extends downwardly from the main area, each side flap having a free edge opposed to the associated side edge, a pulling location generally centrally disposed along the free edge, and a pair of attachment points disposed adjacent said free edge in corner regions of the side flap at or adjacent the ends of the free edge thereof;

- an elastic cord associated with the attachment point of each side flap and arranged to bias the corner region containing the respective attachment point to a folded configuration where at least part of the corner region overlies the remainder of the side flap; - pull-means for each side flap and associated with the pulling location thereof so that when tension is applied to the pull-means the respective side flap is unfolded against the bias provided by the elastic members thereby to move the side flap to its deployed position; and

2. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each corner region of the side flap is generally triangular in shape.

3. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tie-down means includes a tie for each corner region of each side flap, which tie has one end attached to the side flap at or in the region of the associated attachment point and is arranged for securing to a container with which the cover is used.

4. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 3, wherein the tie comprises an elastically-extensible member having a plurality of apertures along the length thereof to allow the member to be secured to a fixed component, with a selected tension therein.

5. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 3, wherein for each corner region of a side flap, a flexible tension member extends between the attachment point of the corner region and a further point adjacent to the pulling location on that side flap, said tension member serving as said tie-down means for the corner region.

6. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tension member is elastically-extensible.

7. A sheeting cover as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the elastic cord associated with an attachment point of one side flap has one end connected to said attachment point and has its other end connected to the main area of the cover.

8. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 7, wherein the elastic cord passes through a guide provided on the main area of the cover remote from said one side flap and has its other end connected to the main area of the cover nearer said side flap than the guide.

9. A sheeting cover as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the elastic cord associated with an attachment point of one side flap has one end connected to said attachment point and has its other end connected to the attachment point of the other side flap at the same end of the main area.

10. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 9, wherein the elastic cord passes through a pair of guides attached to the main area of the cover and spaced apart in the width direction thereof, the cord from said one attachment point initially passing through the guide further from that attachment point and then through the guide nearer that attachment point with the other end of the cord connected to the attachment point of the other side flap.

1 1 . A sheeting cover as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the elastic members comprise further elastic cords which pull the side flaps to their foldθd positions and which are elastically stretched as the side flaps are moved to their deployed positions.

12. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 1 1 , wherein each side flap has a pair of elastic members associated therewith and extending from the pulling location thereof to respective positions on the main area of the cover at or adjacent the opposed end edges thereof.

13. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 1 1 , wherein the pair of elastic members associated with each side flap comprise a single continuous extensible elongate cord the ends of which are secured to said respective positions at or adjacent the opposed end edges of the main area, the central region of the cord acting on the associated side flap in the region of the pulling location.

14. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 13, wherein the central region of the cord runs through a guide attached to the side flap at the pulling location thereof.

15. A sheeting cover as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the pull-means comprises a flexible tension member attached to the side flap in the region of the pulling location.

16. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 15, wherein the pull-means comprises a wire rope.

17. A sheeting cover as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the pull-means comprises a line extending between the region of the pulling location of the side flap and a second point adjacent the junction between that side flap and the main area of the cover.

18. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 17, wherein the pull-means additionally includes a flexible tension member running on said line.

19. A sheeting cover as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the tie-down means includes, for each side flap, a flexible tension member connected to the side flap at the pulling location thereof.

20. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 19, wherein the tie-down means is elastically-extensible.

21 . A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 20, wherein the elastically- extensible tie-down means comprises a member having a plurality of apertures along the length thereof to allow the member to be secured to a component with a selected tension therein.

22. A sheeting cover as claimed in any of claims 1 to 20, wherein for the pulling location of each side flap, there is provided a single flexible tension member which comprises both the pull-means therefor and the tie-down means therefor.

23. A fabric sheeting cover as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover is additionally provided with:

- a generally rectangular rear curtain extending from one end edge of the main area and being moveable between a folded position where the curtain is folded back either on itself or on the main area and a deployed position where the curtain is unfolded downwardly; - a pair of guides attached to the cover on the main area or on an upper region of the rear curtain and spaced apart across the width thereof;

- an elongate elastically-extensible member passing through the two guides and having its two ends secured one to each of the two corner regions respectively of the rear curtain remote from the main area; and - securing means associated with each said corner region of the rear curtain and arranged for attachment to a fixed point to allow the securing of the rear curtain in its deployed position; whereby the elastically-extensible member pulls the two corner regions of the rear curtain towards the main area when the securing means are released, thereby drawing the rear curtain to its folded position.

24. A fabric sheeting cover for an open-topped goods container of essentially rectangular horizontal cross-section, comprising:

25. A sheeting cover as claimed in claim 24 or claim 26, wherein the securing means comprises an elastically-extensible member having a plurality of apertures along the length thereof to allow the member to be secured to a component with a selected tension therein.