대표
청구항
▼
1. A roll-tarp assembly for covering and uncovering a container opening, said assembly comprising:a tarp,a rotary power shaft,a roll bar attached to said tarp for rolling said tarp from a first unlatched position over the container opening to a second captured position and then subsequently rotated to a latched position,a first connector configured for transferring rotary power to said roll bar,a second connector configured for receiving rotary power from said power shaft, anda resilient member having opposite first and second ends attached, respectively...
1. A roll-tarp assembly for covering and uncovering a container opening, said assembly comprising:a tarp,a rotary power shaft,a roll bar attached to said tarp for rolling said tarp from a first unlatched position over the container opening to a second captured position and then subsequently rotated to a latched position,a first connector configured for transferring rotary power to said roll bar,a second connector configured for receiving rotary power from said power shaft, anda resilient member having opposite first and second ends attached, respectively, to each of said first and second connectors configured for transferring rotary power from said first to said second connector and allowing limited, force-responsive rotation in said captured position of said first connector in a tarp tightening direction relative to said second connector during movement of said roll bar to its latched position, so as to help minimize excessive torque on said roll bar in said tarp tightening direction during movement from said captured to said latched position.2. A roll-tarp assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said member is a helical spring.3. A roll-tarp assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein said member is metallic.4. A roll-tarp assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said opposite first and second ends are attached by welds, respectively, to said first and second connectors.5. A roll-tarp assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein said opposite ends extend parallel to an axis of said resilient member.6. A roll-tarp assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein said connectors each have a longitudinal recess configured to receive one of said opposite ends.7. An adapter for connecting a rotary power shaft to a roll bar of a roll-tarp assembly, said adapter comprising:a first connector configured for transferring rotary power to the roll bar,a second connector configured for receiving rotary power from the power shaft, anda resilient member connecting said first and second connectors for transferring rotary power from said first to said second connector and allowing limited, force-responsive rotation of said first connector in a tarp tightening direction relative to said second connector, so as to help minimize overtorque on said connectors and roll bar,wherein said first connector has an axial projection configured to extend within said resilient member and has a releasable retainer configured for attaching said projection to said second connector while allowing at least limited rotation of said first connector relative to said second connector.8. An adapter in accordance with claim 7 wherein said second connector has an axial second projection configured to extend within said resilient member.9. An adapter in accordance with claim 8 wherein said attachment of said releasable retainer is configured for attaching said second projection to said first projection while allowing at least limited rotation of said first connector relative to said second connector.10. An adapter in accordance with claim 9 wherein one of said projections is configured to extend within the other of said projections during operation.11. An adapter in accordance with claim 7 wherein said retainer comprises an annular recess on one of said projections, at least one passageway that is a geometric chord intersecting said annular recess, and at least one pin disposed in said passageway, whereby said pin engages said one of said projections to releasably lock said first connector to said second connector for preventing separation of said adapter in the event said resilient member breaks.12. A roll-tarp assembly in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a compressible and extendable cover configured to extend from said first to said second connector so as to help seal said resilient member against the environment.13. A roll-tarp assembly in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a compressible and extendable cover configured to extend from said first to said second connector so as to help seal said spring against the environment.14. An adapter for connecting a rotary power shaft to a roll bar of a roll-tarp assembly, said adapter comprising:a first connector configured for transferring rotary power to the roll bar,a second connector configured for receiving rotary power from the power shaft, anda resilient member attached to said first and second connectors for transferring rotary power from said first to said second connector and allowing limited, force-responsive rotation of said first connector in a tarp tightening direction relative to said second connector, so as to help minimize overtorque on said connectors and roll barwherein said second connector is configured to extend within said resilient member and at least partially within said first connector and said second connector has a releasable retainer configured to retain said second connector at least partially within said first connector while allowing at least limited rotation, limited extension and limited retraction of said first connector relative to said second connector.15. A roll-tarp assembly for covering a container opening, said assembly comprising:a tarp,a rotary power shaft,a roll bar attached to said tarp for extending said tarp over the container opening,a latch plate for capturing said roll bar in a captured position under said latch plate with said tarp extended fully over the container opening,a U-joint connected to said power shaft,a first connector attached to said U-joint and configured for receiving rotary power from said power shaft through the U-joint,a second connector attached to said roll bar and configured for transferring rotary power to said roll bar, anda resilient member connecting said first and second connectors for transferring rotary power from said first to said second connector and allowing limited, force-responsive rotation of said first connector in a tarp tightening direction relative to said second connector while said roll bar is in said captured position to thereby allow limited rotation of said rotary power shaft in said tarp tightening direction relative to said roll bar without breakage of said roll bar, power shaft, U-joint, or connectors.16. An adapter in accordance with claim 15 wherein said resilient member is configured to allow more than 90 degrees of said limited rotation of said first connector relative to said second connector following latching of said roll bar without said breakage.17. An adapter in accordance with claim 16 wherein the power shaft is a rotary crank.18. An adapter in accordance with claim 17 wherein said rotary crank is weighted so as to counteract any residual spring torque resulting from said limited rotation tending to lift said crank.19. An adapter in accordance with claim 18 wherein the tarp assembly is located on an open top semi-trailer.20. An adapter for connecting a rotary power shaft to a roll bar of a roll-tarp assembly, said adapter comprising:a first connector configured for attachment to and for transferring rotary power to the roll bar,a second connector configured for attachment to and receiving rotary power from the power shaft,a resilient member attached to said first and second connectors for transferring rotary power from said second to said first connector, said resilient member being configured to allow limited, force-responsive rotation of said second connector in a tarp tightening direction relative to said first connector while said roll bar is in a captured position so as to develop a residual rotational force in said tarp tightening direction within said resilient member,a latching mechanism for said power shaft to hold said second connector in a set position while said roll bar is in said captured position and said residual force remains in said resilient member, so that any loosening of the tarp results in rotation of said first connector in a tarp tightening direction in response to said residual force to tighten said tarp.21. A method of automatically tightening a roll-tarp assembly covering a container opening, said method comprising the steps of:rolling a roll bar across said opening from a first side to a second side of said opening and capturing said roll bar on said second side,tightening said tarp by rotating a power shaft operably connected through a resilient member to said roll bar in a tarp tightening direction while said roll bar is captured,applying a residual rotational stress to said a roll bar by continuing to rotate said power shaft in said tarp tightening direction a limited amount while said roll bar is captured,restraining said power shaft from rotation while said residual rotational stress is still applied to said roll bar, andsubsequently automatically rotating said roll bar in said tarp tightening direction by application of said residual rotational force on said roll bar to further tighten said tarp without unlatching said power shaft and without removing said roll bar from said captured position.22. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said power shaft is a crank and said restraining of said power shaft includes latching a crank handle attached to said crank in a latch mechanism.23. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said latch mechanism is affixed to a side of a truck trailer.24. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said latch mechanism is affixed to a rear end of a truck trailer.25. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said resilient member is a spring and said method further comprises the step of interposing said spring between a roll bar and a U-joint of the roll tarp system.26. A method in accordance with claim 25, wherein said spring has its ends connected to two interconnected connectors so that if said spring breaks, said interconnection of said connectors prevents separation of said power shaft from said roll bar, to thereby help prevent damage to surrounding objects by said power shaft.27. A method of tightening a roll-tarp assembly covering a container opening, said method comprising the steps of:interposing a resilient member between a roll bar and a power shaft of said assembly;connecting opposite ends of said resilient member to connectors which are affixed, respectively to said roll bar and said power shaft;connecting said connectors to each other to prevent said interconnected roll bar, resilient member and power shaft from separating in the event said resilient member should break;rotating said power shaft to roll said roll bar across said opening from a first side to a second side of said opening while unfurling a tarp attached to said roll bar to cover said opening and capturing said roll bar on said second side,tightening said tarp by rotating said power shaft to rotate one of said connectors, to thereby rotate said member, to thereby rotate said second connector to thereby rotate said roll bar, andlatching said power shaft so as to maintain said tarp in said covering position while maintaining said connectors in interconnected relationship to continue to prevent separation of said power shaft from said roll bar in the event said resilient member should break.28. A method in accordance with claim 27 wherein said interconnection of said connectors comprises an annular wall on one of said connectors and a radially extending projection on the other of said connectors.29. A method in accordance with claim 28, wherein said wall is a wall of a groove on an outer wall of one connector and said projection is a removable member inwardly projecting from an inner wall of a second of said connectors.30. A method in accordance with claim 29, wherein said removable member is accessible from the exterior of the second projector to facilitate selective separation of said connectors for repair or maintenance.31. A method of using a roll-tarp assembly covering a container opening, said method comprising the steps of:interposing a resilient member between a roll bar and a power shaft of said assembly;connecting opposite ends of said resilient member to connectors which are affixed, respectively to said roll bar and said power shaft;connecting said connectors to each other to prevent said interconnected roll bar, member and power shaft from separating in the event said resilient member should break;rotating said power shaft to roll said roll bar across said opening from a first side to a second side of said opening while unfurling a tarp attached to said roll bar to cover said opening,capturing said roll bar on said second side so as to prevent,tightening said tarp by rotating said power shaft in a tightening direction to tighten said tarp while said roll bar is captured, andfurther rotating said power shaft in a tightening direction when said tarp is already tightened until a desired rotational position of said power shaft is reached by rotating said power shaft to rotate said second connector and absorbing said further rotation in said tightening direction in said resilient member while said first connector is restrained from further rotation and while creating a residual force in said resilient member tending to rotate said power shaft or roll bar in said tightening direction so as to eliminate said residual force; andfastening said power shaft in said desired rotational position with said residual force still present.32. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said resilient member is resistant to bending along its longitudinal axis but is configured to allow force response rotation of said opposite first and second ends relative to each other about said longitudinal axis.33. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said resilient member has first and second opposite ends and is resistant to bending along its longitudinal axis but is configured to allow force response rotation of said ends relative to each other about said longitudinal axis.34. Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 wherein said resilient member is resistant to bending along its longitudinal axis but is configured to allow force response rotation about its longitudinal axis.35. Apparatus in accordance with claim 20 wherein said resilient member is resistant to bending along its longitudinal axis but is configured to allow force response rotation about its longitudinal axis.36. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said a resilient member is disposed between said power shaft and said roll bar and said resilient member is resistant to bending along its longitudinal axis but is configured to allow force response rotation about its longitudinal axis.37. A method in accordance with claim 27 wherein said a resilient member is disposed between said power shaft and said roll bar and said resilient member is resistant to bending along its longitudinal axis but is configured to allow force response rotation about its longitudinal axis.38. A method in accordance with claim 31 wherein said a resilient member is disposed between said power shaft and said roll bar and said resilient member is resistant to bending along its longitudinal axis but is configured to allow force response rotation about its longitudinal axis.39. A roll-tarp assembly for covering and uncovering a container opening, said assembly comprising:a tarp,a rotary power shaft,a roll bar attached to said tarp for rolling said tarp from a first unlatched position over the container opening to a second captured position and then subsequently rotated to a latched position,a U-joint attached to said roll bar,a first connector configured for transferring rotary power to said roll bar through said U-joint,a second connector configured for receiving rotary power from said power shaft, anda resilient member having opposite first and second ends attached, respectively, to each of said first and second connectors configured for transferring rotary power from said first to said second connector.
