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A telescoping cover for storage facilities, particularly vehicle cargo beds, which utilizes a plurality of cover sections in successive mutual telescopically receivable relation that slide on guideways in a self-cleaning manner. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of movable cover sections are

A telescoping cover for storage facilities, particularly vehicle cargo beds, which utilizes a plurality of cover sections in successive mutual telescopically receivable relation that slide on guideways in a self-cleaning manner. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of movable cover sections are provided which are successively mutually telescopable into a stationary cover section through use of a pair of parallel guideways. Each cover has a top from which depend downwardly mutually opposing sides. The guideways, which are attached to the storage facility side walls, are made of an elongated base having a substantially flat surface from which extend a plurality of elongated bosses. The bosses have an upper portion which is disposed in offset relation to a lower portion which in turn mates with the elongated base. The movable cover sections have a slot in the lower terminus of each side receiving a boss. A detent is provided that protrudes into the slot, interfering with the offset upper portion of the boss and preventing vertical movement of the movable cover section. The surface shape of the slot and its associated detent in each side of the movable cover sections are mutually complementary with the surface shape of the boss received therein. Accordingly, as the movable cover sections are slid along the guideway accumulated debris is automatically wiped off the boss by interaction of the complementary surfaces.

대표청구항 ▼

A retractable cover and guideway combination, comprising: a pair of mutually parallel elongated guideways, each elongated guideway of said pair of mutually parallel elongated guideways having a base; at least one elongated boss extending upwardly from each said base, said at least one elongated boss

A retractable cover and guideway combination, comprising: a pair of mutually parallel elongated guideways, each elongated guideway of said pair of mutually parallel elongated guideways having a base; at least one elongated boss extending upwardly from each said base, said at least one elongated boss having a lower portion attached to said base and an upper portion attached in offset relation to said lower portion; a plurality of cover sections, each cover section of said plurality of cover sections having mutually opposing sides, said sides being interconnected by a top, each of said mutually opposing sides of at least one of said cover sections further having a leading edge and a trailing edge and a slot located at a lower terminus thereof extending between said leading edge and said trailing edge, said sides being in mutual spaced apart parallel relation such that each of said slots receives a respective one of said at least one elongated boss extending upward from said base of a respective one of said pair of guideways, said respective one elongated boss received in said slot forming a first surface and said slot receiving said respective one elongated boss forming a second surface, said first and second surfaces cooperating to guide said cover section as said cover section is moved along said respective one elongated boss, said first and second surfaces further having, at least at said leading edge of each of said sides, a complementary shape, said first and second complementary shaped surfaces being separated from each other by a small space so that, as each of said cover sections is moved along said guideway, said leading edge of each side cleans said first surface of said received at least one elongated boss of debris which is larger than said small space between said first and second complementary shaped surfaces; a roller bearing system attached to each of said mutually opposing sides of said at least one cover section, said roller bearing system being disposed along said slot intermediate said leading edge and said trailing edge of each of said sides, so as not to interfere with said received at least one elongated boss being cleaned by said leading edge of debris which is larger than said small space between said elongated boss and said leading edge as said cover section is moved out of a telescopically received relation, said roller bearing system contacting said upper portion of said received at least one elongated boss to reduce the friction between said received at least one elongated boss during movement of said cover section along said pair of mutually parallel elongated guideways; and means for retaining said plurality of cover sections in mounted relation with respect to said pair of mutually parallel elongated guideways. A telescoping cover for a storage facility, having two mutually opposite side walls comprising: a pair of elongated guideways, said pair of elongated guideways being mounted in mutually parallel relation on said storage facility, each elongated guideway of said pair of elongated guideways having a base; a plurality of cover sections, each having a predetermined size; means for mounting said plurality of cover sections for movement along said pair of elongated guideways, said predetermined size of each of said cover sections allowing for said plurality of cover sections to be mounted in successive mutual telescopically receivable relation, said means for mounting further limiting said movement of said plurality of cover sections to a movement along said pair of elongated guideways; means for cleaning said pair of elongated guideways when said plurality of cover sections are moved out of a successive mutual telescopically received relation along said pair of elongated guideways; means for coupling said plurality of cover sections so as to be movable along said pair of elongated guideways in successive mutual telescopically receivable relation; and a downwardly disposed extension member attached to each said base, each said extension member having at least one attachment point along its length for attaching a respective elongated guideway of said pair of elongated guideways to one of said two mutually opposite side walls of said storage facility, at least one said extension member including a curved elbow located between said base and said at least one attachment point of said at least one extension member to one of said side walls, for allowing said base to move transversely relative to said side walls in response to changes in width said plurality of cover sections due to variations in temperature.