AU2005100254A4 - Transport Vehicle Load Cover System - Google Patents

Description

22.Mar. 2005 18:25 Wallinston-Dummer Sydney No.9654 P. 3 P/00/009 Regulation 3 2B

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: TRANSPORT VEHICLE LOAD COVER SYSTEM The invention is described in the following statement together with the best method of performing it known to us: Our Reference: 056004 COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22.Mar. 2005 18:25 Wallington-Dummer Sydney No.9654 P. 4 -2- 0 oTRANSPORT VEHICLE LOAD COVER SySTER The present invention relates to covers over loads of friable and loose material from the load body of a ci transport vehicle and, more particularly to automated and semi-automated covering systems.

ci o DBACKGROWD In many jurisdictions it is an offence to allow loose ci 10 material to be lost from the body of a transport vehicle while the vehicle is travelling on public roads. This has enforced drivers to secure loads of loose and friable material with a suitable cover.

Such covers may range from a simple tarpaulin stretched over the top of the load and secured with ropes, to more elaborate concertina retractable systems. These latter generally consist of a number of frames carrying the cover material, with the rear-most frame driven the length of the load tray of the vehicle by a system of pulleys and cables, operable from some convenient point, usually at the lower front corner of the load body.

The cover is fastened to the front wall of the body so that when the cover is being pulled into position to cover the load, the rearmost frame, which is attached to an endless cable stretched between front and rear pulleys, drags on each successive section of the fabric, and thus COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Auslralia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22.Mar. 2005 18:26 Wal Iin ton-Dummer Sydney No 9654 P. -3l successive frames, to pull the cover from its stored o concertina configuration, into a stretched position over Sthe load.

Typically, the frames are of a general arcuate or bow shape, so as to allow for portions of the load which project above the sides of the load body. Outer ends of the C< frames are provided with sliders supported on the upper 0 0 side rails of the body. The intermediate sliders, that is O those between the fixed front frame and the travelling 0 rear-most frame, are held in position on each side of the body by the upper and lower strands of the endless cable passing through holes in each slider.

The cover material itself is generally one continuous length provided with a series of transverse pockets sown or otherwise attached, for insertion of the frames. The covers, being necessarily of flexible material, are easily and frequently damaged. Sliders also suffer heavy wear due to frequent abrasion from grit remaining on the running surfaces of the sides of the load body, when carrying rock or sand or the like. Repair of rent fabric or replacement of sliders involves a major disassembly of the whole system necessitating expensive idle time of the vehicle and incurring considerable labour costs.

It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22.Mar. 2005 18:26 Wallinston-Dummer Sydney No.9654 P. 6 4 l Accordingly in a first broad form of the invention, o there is provided a load cover system for the load c body of a transport vehicle; said system comprising a plurality of fabric supporting frames; said frames provided at outer ends with slider elements running on sides of said load body; wherein said fabric comprises Ci a plurality of panels; each said panel adapted for 0 releasable engagement between successive pairs of said o frames.

0 Preferably, each of said panels is provided along at least portions of a front facing edge and a rear facing edge with beading.

Preferably, each of said panels is provided at outer ends of said front facihg edge and said rear facing edge with extension tabs; each of said extension tabs adapted for releasable attachment to one of said slider elements.

Preferably, each of said fabric supporting frames comprises a length of generally tubular section extrusion provided along a forward facing side and a rearward facing side of said extrusion with channels adapted for sliding insertion and retention of said beading of said panels.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22,War. 2005 18:26 WaIlins on-Dummer Sydney No.9654 P. 7 IPreferably, each of said fabric supporting frames 0 0 comprises a central portion and downwardly angled said ci touter portions; said outer portions terminating in said outer ends.

ci ci Preferably, each of said slider elements is provided with an upwardly angled extension portion adapted for ci engagement with one of said outer ends of said fabric Icarrying frames.

Ci Preferably, each of said slider elements is provided with a removable retainer plate; said removable retainer plate allowing release of an upper and lower strand of a cover urging cable passing through said slider.

Preferably, each of said slider elements is provided with a replaceable slider plate.

Preferably, said slider plate is so formed and attached to each successive said slider element as to allow an overlap of said slider plate of any said slider element with a said slider plate o an adjoining said slider element when said cover is in a retracted open position.

Preferably, said cover urging cable comprises an arrangement of a continuous loop of cable passing COMB ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22.Mar. 2005 18:26 Wa l in ton-Dummer Sydney No.9654 P. 8 I around a forward pulley affixed adjacent a front end 0 o of an upper edge rail of said load body, and a c rearward pulley mounted adjacent a rear end of said rail; said arrangement duplicated on either side of said load body.

Preferably, said forward pulley of each said ci 0 arrangement is driven synchronously from a common 1C) drive source.

0 C< Preferably, said slider elements attached to said outer ends of a rearmost fabric supporting frame are locked to a respective upper or lower strand of said cover urging cable of each said arrangement.

In a second broad form of the invention, there is provided an extrusion for support of one edge of a fabric panel of a load cover for a transport vehicle; said extrusion comprising a generally tubular section extrusion provided along a forward facing side and a rearward facing side with channels; each of said .channels adapted to receive therein a beaded edging of said fabric panel.

Preferably, said extrusion forms a supporting frame; a multiplicity of said supporting frames separated by a multiplicity of said panels forming said load cover.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22.Mar. 2005 18:25 Wallington-Dummer Sydney No.9554 P. 9 -7- Preferably, said extrusion is adapted for retro-fittad 0q attachment to supporting frames of an existing said tload cover.

In a further broad form of the invention, there is provided a modular load cover f or a load body of a transport vehicle; said cover comprising a plurality ci 0of fabric supporting frame assemblies a plurality of 0 knfabric panels for releasable attachment between o adjacent ones of said frame assemblies and a drive ci mechanism; said cover adapted for deployment from a retracted concertinaed disposition at a forward end of said load body to a covering disposition wherein said fabric panels are stretched between said supporting frames spaced along a length of said load body.

Preferably, said fabric panels comprise a flexible material provided along at least a portion of a forward facing edge and portion of a rearward facing edge with beading; said panels further provided at outer ends of said forward facing edge and said rearward facing edge with tab portions adapted for attachment to slider elements.

Preferably, said frame assembly comprises an extrusion provided along a forward facing side and a rearward facing side with channels; each of said channels COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 205-03-22 22.Mar. 2005 18:27 Wallington-Dummer Sydney ho.9654 P. -sadapted to receive therein a beaded edging of 0 0 adjoining ones of said fabric panels; said assembly ci tfurther comprising one of said slider elements attached to each outer end of said extrusion.

ci ci Preferably, said slider elements comprise a main body provided with an angled extension portion tor ci 0insertion into said outer end of said extrusion; said 1 slider element further comprising a replaceable slide o plate and a detachable retainer plate for wire strands ci of a cover drive mechanism.

Preferably, said drive mechanism comprises a forward pulley and a rearward pulley disposed adjacent each top side rail of said load body and a respective loop of wire rope forming an upper strand and a lower strand spanning between said forward pulley and said rearward pulley along each said side rail; each said forward pulley driven synchronously from a common drive source and wherein a rearmost one of said frame assemblies is attached to either each said upper strand or said lower strand.

In yet a further broad form of the invention, there is provided a slider element for support of frames of a load cover of a transport vehicle; said slider element adapted for reciprocal movement along each upper side COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22,Mar. 2005 IB:27 Wallinaton-Duamer Sydney No.9654 P. I1 -9frail of a load body of said vehicle; said slider 0 0q element comprising a main body provided with a tdetachable slider plate and a detachable cable retainer plate.

ci In still a further broad form of the invention, there Iis provided a method for covering a load of friable ci 0and loose material in a load body of a transport Vvehicle; said method including the steps of: 0 mounting a plurality of support frames provided with slider elements transversely at intervals across said load body, releasably inserting beaded edges of a fabric panel into channels in opposing sides of each adjoilinq pair of said support frames, 1 providing a drive mechanism adapted to advance and retract a rearmost one of said support frames along a length of said load body.

Preferably, said slider elements comprise a main body provided with an angled extension portion adapted for attachment to an extrusion portion of said support frame.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 200-03-22 22 MMv 2005 18:27 Wallington-Dummer Sydney No 96 54 P 12 10 S Preferably, said slider element further comprises a C replaceable slider plate and a detachable cable cretainer plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: n) Figure 1 is side elevation view of a transport vehicle 0 O fitted with a load cover, J0 Figure 2 is an end cross section view of the load body of the transport vehicle of Fig. 1, Figure 3 is a cross section view of a first preferred embodiment of a support frame extrusion, Figure 4 is a cross section view of a second preferred embodiment of a support frame extrusion retro-fitted to a pre-existing support frame member, Figure 5 is a perspective disassembled view of a slider element according to the invention, Figure 6 is a perspective view of the slider element of Fig. 5 and extrusion of Fig. 6 assembled and positioned in use on an upper side rail of the load body of Fig. 2, Figure 6A is a plan view of portions of adjoining support frames and sliding plates when the cover is in a retracted position, COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22.Mar. 20U5 18:27 Walrirgton-Dvmmer Sydney ND> 9654 P. 13 I1 0 theFigure 7 is a plan view of a fabric panel according to the invention, tFigure 8 is a detail view of a portion of the panel of Fig. 7 when installed to the support frame extrusion and ci slider element assembly of Fig. 6.

Ci DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 0 First Preferred Embodiment with reference to Figs. I and 2, a transport vehicle 10 is fitted with a load cover 12 substantially covering, when closed, the whole of the top of the load body 14.

Cover 12 comprises a number of support frames 16, with a flexible fabric panel 18 stretched between each adjoining pair of support frames 16.

A drive mechanism is disposed along each upper side rail 26 of load body 14 and comprises forward and rear pulleys 12 and 13 with a loop of cable forming an upper strand and a lower strand 15 and 17 stretched between the pulleys. Rearmost frame assembly 19 is attached to the upper strand 15 of the cable loop. The forward pulleys 11 are driven synchronously by a suitable drive mechanism, either manually operated via a further pulley and cable system 21 or an electric motor. Activating the drive system so that upper strand 15 is pulled towards the front of the load body retracts rearmost frame assembly 19 and forces COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by 1P Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22.Mar. 2005 18:2H Wal ington-Dummer S'dney N o,-9 65 14 12 S remaining intermediate frame assemblies 16 and panels 18 to ri compact concertina fashion at the front of the load body.

tSupport frames 16 preferably comprise a central horizontal portion 20 and angled downwardly sloping side ci portions 22. Alternatively, central portion 20 may be .arcuate with end portions 22 similarly angled downwardly.

ci Sq The outer end of each end portion 22 is fitted with a detachable slider element 24, adapted to slide along the upper side rails 26 along each side of load body 14.

As shown in Fig. 3, support frames 16 are formed as hollow extrusions provided at a forward facing side 28 and rearward facing side 30 with slotted circular section channels 32 and 34 respectively. Fabric panels 18 are provided along at least portions of their forward facing edge and rearward facing edge with beading 34 (as best seen in Fig. 7) adapted for sliding insertion and retention in channels 32 and 34.

With reference now to Figs. 5 and 6, slider element 24 is comprised of a main body portion 36, a slider plate 38 and a cable retention plate 40. Grooves 39 in retention plate 40 are sized to allow free running of cable strands and 17 through slider elements 24 of all intermediate frame assemblies 16. However the retention plate 40 of the rearmost frame assembly is modified so as to lock the slider elements of that frame to upper strand 15, for COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22.Mar, 2005 18:28 Wallnston-Dummer Sydney No,- 9654 13 example by a bolt passing through plate 40 and driving 0q against upper strand 15 (not shown).

tMain body portion 36 is provided with an angled, -upwardly extending projection 42 adapted for insertion into ci the outer end of a downwardly angled portion 22 of a 4support frame 16. For this purpose a portion of the ci S circular section channels 32 within the extrusion may be machined back, or the projection 42 suitably shaped to accommodate them. Frame 16 may be fastened to projection 42, for example by screws so as to be readily detached if required.

Slider plate 38 is bolted to an underside of main body 36 in one of two positions. As best seen in Fig. 6 and 6A, the slider plates 36 of adjoining frame assemblies 16 are oriented in opposite directions so that when cover 12 is retracted to the concertina position at the front of load body 14, a degree of nesting or overlapping of slide plates is allowed by the opposing sloping edges 41 and relative offset of the plates. This allows comparatively long slider plates 38 giving a greater degree of support to the slider element 24 and preventing "cocking" of the element from friction with the cable strands is and 17, or from grit on side rails 26.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, panel 18 is comprised of a rectangular sheet of material of width and length Width is sufficient to stretch the length of COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22.Mar, 2005 18:28 Wal ington-Dummer Sydney No.9654 P. 16 14 slotted channel 32 between slider elements 24, plus the 0 o length of each slider element from the shoulder 43 to the ci t bottom edge of retainer plate 40. Length is equal to r the distance centre to centre of the frame assemblies 16 ci C 5 when cover 12 is in the stretched closed position.

As shown in Fig. 7, outer ends of each of forward in Ci facing edge 35 and rearward facing edge 37 of panel 18 are 0 0 provided with attachment tabs 50. When panel 18 is in o assembled between two adjoining frames 16, tabs 50 are 0 C 10 attached to, and cover, retainer plates 40, with tabs of adjoining panels overlapping as shown in Fig. 8. Thus the outer edges 51 of panels 18 extend below the level of the upper surface of side rails 26 of load body 14, minimising the loss of loose or friable material from cover 12 when closed for use.

In Use The modular nature of the cover of the present invention clearly allows rapid repair of any of the components making up the cover. Thus to replace for example a badly torn panel 18 requires only the unfastening of the tabs 50 from the four slider elements, sliding the beads 34 out of channels 32 and installing a new panel by reverse order of these steps.

Similarly, worn slider plates 38 are readily accessed and replaced by disassembling retainer plate 40 from a slider element to release it from the cable strands 15 and COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22 22,Mar, 2005 18:28 Wallington-Dummer SYdneY No,£96 54 17 15 I17. The slider element may then be lifted, the worn plate 0 0removed and replaced with a new plate.

tIf required, the whole slider element is easily replaced, again by removal of the retainer plate 40 and ci detachment of the slider element from frame 16.

Second Preferred Embodiment In Elements of the present invention may be retrofitted 0- to existing cover arrangements. In this embodiment the In original cover material is removed from the existing i0 support frames. These frames may be of rectangular hollow section or circular section tubes. In either case an extrusion as shown in Fig. 4 may shaped to conform to the arcuate or other shape of the frame and riveted or otherwise fastened to it. This allows panels 18 as previously described to be used, conferring at least some of the maintenance advantages described above.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22

Claims (4)

1. A modular load cover for a load body of a transport vehicle; said cover comprising a plurality of fabric supporting frame assemblies, a plurality of fabric panels for releasable attachment between adjacent ones fof said frame assemblies and a drive mechanism; said ci cover adapted for deployment from a retracted concertinaed disposition at a forward end of said load o body to a covering disposition wherein said fabric ci panels are stretched between said supporting frames spaced along a length of said load body.

2. The cover of claim 1 wherein said fabric panels comprise a flexible material provided along at least a portion of a forward facing edge and portion of a rearward facing edge with beading; said panels further provided at outer ends of said forward facing edge and said rearward facing edge with tab portions adapted for attachment to slider elements.

3. The cover of claim 2 wherein each of said frame assemblies comprises an extrusion provided along a forward facing side and a rearward facing side with channels; each of said channels adapted to receive therein a beaded edging of adjoining ones of said fabric panels; said assembly further comprising one of COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22

22.War. 2005 18:29 Wallinston-Dummer Sydney No.9654 P. 19 17 V) said slider elements attached to each outer end of 0 o said extrusion. ci S4. The cover of claim 3 wherein said slider elements C comprise a main body provided with an angled extension ci portion for insertion into said outer end of said extrusion; said slider element further comprising a cI 0 replaceable slide plate and a detachable retainer plate for wire strands of a cover drive mechanism. C 5. The cover of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said drive mechanism comprises a forward pulley and a rearward pulley disposed adjacent each top side rail of said load body and a respective loop of wire rope forming an upper strand and a lower strand spanning between said forward pulley and said rearward pulley along each said side rail; each said forward pulley driven synchronously from a common drive source and wherein a rearmost one of said frame assemblies is attached to either each said upper strand or said lower strand. DATED: 21 March 2005 RODNEY KENNETH GARRETT by his Patent Attorneys: WALLINGTON-DUMMER COMS ID No: SBMI-01174064 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:27 Date 2005-03-22