Disclosed herein are a number of embodiments of a cover. Also disclosed are methods of using a cover.
In many disciplines, such as the construction field and the like, a work area including a work surface is involved. The work surface may be outdoors, and may be susceptible to many factors like snow, ash and other complicating materials, falling upon the work surface. In the case of snow, the work surface, periodically, may be covered with a layer of snow. This layer may be inches thick, thereby making further work more complicated or dangerous. Sometimes, work may be halted until the layer of snow is removed from the work surface. Snow removal takes time and effort and is costly. The time it takes to remove the snow from the work surface is time that could be spent working. Thus, snow removal not only costs time and money, but also results in lost work time. It is desirable to provide a reliable way of removing the layer of snow from a work surface in a timely, cost effective fashion.
Embodiments described herein provide a cover, and a method for using the cover with a surface. One embodiment of the cover comprises a flexible, substantially planar member. A plurality of reinforcing members is attached to the flexible, substantially planar member. The plurality of reinforcing members is arranged on the flexible, substantially planar member so that the flexible, substantially planar member can reliably support a load. A plurality of manipulation members is operatively associated with the plurality of reinforcing members. The plurality of manipulation members is accessible to a lifter so that the lifter can apply force to the plurality of reinforcing members and can move the load reliably supported by the flexible, substantially planar member.
Another embodiment of a cover comprises a flexible, substantially planar member, a plurality of reinforcing members attached to the flexible, substantially planar member, the plurality of reinforcing members being arranged on the flexible, substantially planar member so that the flexible, substantially planar member can reliably support a load, and a plurality of manipulation members operatively associated with the plurality of reinforcing members, the plurality of manipulation members being accessible to a lifter so that the lifter can apply force to the plurality of reinforcing members and move the load reliably supported by the flexible, substantially planar member.
In a method of using a cover with a surface, a cover having a substantially flexible, substantially planar member, a plurality of reinforcing members attached to the flexible, substantially planar member, the plurality of reinforcing members being arranged on the flexible, substantially planar member so that the flexible, substantially planar member can reliably support a load, and a plurality of manipulation members operatively associated with the plurality of reinforcing members is provided. The cover on is placed on the surface. The load is allowed to accumulate on the cover. The plurality of manipulation members is accessed with a lifter. A force is applied to the plurality of reinforcing members with the lifter. The load reliably supported by the flexible, substantially planar member is moved with the lifter.
In another method of using a cover with a surface, a cover having a flexible, substantially planar member, a plurality of reinforcing members attached to the flexible, substantially planar member, the plurality of reinforcing members being arranged on the flexible, substantially planar member so that the flexible, substantially planar member can reliably support a load, and a plurality of manipulation members operatively associated with the plurality of reinforcing members is provided. The cover is placed on the surface. The load is allowed to accumulate on the cover. A subset of the plurality of manipulation members is accessed with a lifter. A force is applied to the subset of the plurality of reinforcing members with the lifter. The load is redistributed on the flexible, substantially planar member with the lifter.
The
The flexible, substantially planar member 12 may be of any shape, such as polygonal (
All of the embodiments of the cover 10 include a plurality of reinforcing members 18 attached to the bottom side 16 of the flexible, substantially planar member 12. The reinforcing member 18 may be substantially strap-like in shape, and traverse the bottom side 16 of flexible, substantially planar member 12 in a substantially criss-cross like fashion. The reinforcing members 18 are connected to the flexible, substantially planar member 12 by any suitable means. Preferably, the reinforcing members 18 are connected with the flexible, substantially planar member 12 by stitching. The reinforcing members 18 traverse the bottom side 16 of the flexible, substantially planar member 12 to add strength to the flexible, substantially planar member 12 so that a load can be reliably supported by the flexible, substantially planar member 12. Accordingly, the reinforcing members 18 are disposed on the bottom side 16 of the flexible, substantially planar member 12 to minimize an unsupported region of the flexible, substantially planar member 12. The reinforcing members 18 traverse substantially an entire area of the bottom side 16 of the flexible, substantially planar member 12 to increase the ability of the flexible, substantially planar member 12 to reliably support a load. The reinforcing members 18 may be continuous, or may comprise discontinuous pieces that are connected to each other. The reinforcing members 18 may be formed of any suitable material. Preferably, the reinforcing members 18 comprise 6000 lb. webbing.
Each portion 20 of the reinforcing members 18 that extends beyond a boundary of the flexible substantially planar member 12 is connected with a manipulation member 22. Preferably, the manipulation members 22 are disposed substantially equidistantly from a center of the flexible, substantially planar member 12 to provide reliable support to the load supported by the flexible, substantially planar member 12. Substantially square or substantially circular shapes of the flexible, substantially planar member 12 (
The cover 10 shown in
In use, the cover 10 is placed over a surface such that the bottom side 16 of the flexible, substantially planar member 12 contacts the surface. A material, such as snow, can accumulate on the top side 14 of the flexible, substantially planar member 12 thereby forming a load. To remove the accumulated snow from the surface, the manipulation members 22 are accessed. A lifter 40, such as a crane, a lift truck, a fork lift, a lever or other suitable device or person, is releasably connected with the manipulation members 22, and the lifter 40 applies force to the manipulation members 22 to raise the cover 10 and the load of accumulated snow off of the surface. In one embodiment, a joining member, such as a rope, a cable, a chain or the like, can be connected between the manipulation members 22 and the lifter to facilitate lifting of the load with the cover 10. Because the reinforcing members 18 reliably support the load, the load is removed from the surface by lifting the flexible, substantially planar member 12 with the lifter 40. The lifter 40 can deposit the load in an appropriate location.
In other uses of the cover 10, the lifter 40 can be releasably connected with a subset of the plurality of manipulation members 22. In this manner, the load can be redistributed, i.e. moved toward a center of the flexible, substantially planar member 12, to facilitate movement of the load with the cover 10. In this manner, likelihood of movement or spillage of the load during movement of the cover 10 can be reduced. Thus, after the lifter 40 is releasably connected with a subset of the plurality manipulation members 22 and the load is redistributed on the cover 10, i.e. moved toward a center of the cover 10, then, the lifter 40 is releasably connected with all of the manipulation members 22. The lifter 40 applies force to all of the manipulation members 22 to raise the cover 10 and the load of accumulated snow off of the surface.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
732838 | Edwards | Jul 1903 | A |
816186 | Roberts | Mar 1906 | A |
2749957 | Smith | Jun 1956 | A |
3785451 | McCord | Jan 1974 | A |
3792806 | Layton | Feb 1974 | A |
3987592 | Herminghaus et al. | Oct 1976 | A |
4519183 | Parody | May 1985 | A |
4682447 | Osborn | Jul 1987 | A |
5050924 | Hansen | Sep 1991 | A |
D327345 | Lammon et al. | Jun 1992 | S |
5178426 | David et al. | Jan 1993 | A |
5660402 | Jones et al. | Aug 1997 | A |
5978989 | Chavez | Nov 1999 | A |
6276698 | Calandra | Aug 2001 | B1 |
6758596 | McDonough | Jul 2004 | B2 |
7025402 | Remmel | Apr 2006 | B2 |
7216908 | Daigle | May 2007 | B2 |
7249792 | Bunten | Jul 2007 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20090173460 A1 | Jul 2009 | US |