Retractable Fabric Cover for Rectangular Containers

Information

  • Patent Application
  • 20190225417
  • Publication Number
    20190225417
  • Date Filed
    January 19, 2018
    6 years ago
  • Date Published
    July 25, 2019
    5 years ago
  • Inventors
    • Moxley; Ellen Ann (Madera, CA, US)
Abstract
The invention provides a quickly deployable fabric cover over rectangular containers to protect contents from stationary or mobile activities. Operated by a single person to secure or unsecure the cover and to cover or uncover the container minimizes time and energy to protect container contents from inclement weather events or transportation.
Description
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSERED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.


SEQUENCE LISTING

Not Applicable


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With advances in environmental regulation, encapsulation of deleterious materials from storm water, fresh water streams and rivers, and ocean waters. A primary source of these materials are construction debris, recycled materials, and other wastes.


A typical cycle can be broken into three steps, collection, transportation, and delivery. Collection is typically a single source, i.e. a construction site. In this example, a contractor has requested a container during the demolition phase of a project. Materials collected are deposited into a single bin over a period of days. Overnight protection is needed both for security and weather protection. After the collection is completed transportation is required to either a sorting facility for material recycling or disposal. Duration of transportation can be a few minutes or a few hours.


Contents protection during periods of inclement weather is now required. A stationary bin must be kept covered when not being filled. This prevents rain water from entering and soaking into the deleterious material which will leach ouch of the bin with contaminants to work its way into storm water and eventually entering the sea.


Transportation provides another dynamic to the separation of storm water and deleterious material as movement along a roadway now introduces horizontal wind-driven storm water. This force is variable and dependent upon speed and weather conditions.


Prior art has numerous apparatuses for covering a rectangular bin but most are complex in either in operation or mechanics. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,109 uses a fabric cover but the mechanics to use require an exposed cable on both sides of the container as well as the entire length. This exposes the mechanics to operate to outside influences such as weather or physical abuse through use. Potential for damage is high. U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,713 provides for the cover to be pulled over the bin but no provisions are made to secure the cover. This loose attachment does not prevent inclement weather from getting to materials in the container. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,429,408, 5,938,270, 6,139,085, 6,142,554, and 6,481,779 provide for a more secured covering of container contents at the expense of complexity. A cable system is used to deploy and retract the container cover. This complexity introduces a greater chance of mechanical failure through wear or outside influences. U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,664 although similar in operation does not provide for a rigid support of the cover thereby allowing partially loaded materials to be covered during periods of inactivity, i.e. loading. It is intended to be deployed during transportation of a full container with loaded material used to support the cover. This lack of support allows rainwater to collect on top of the cover with no provisions for drainage. Further, the identified rollup apparatus indicates the use of a spring motor storage roller. U.S. Pat. No. 8,375,643 uses a storage roller for deployment over the ground.


As stated above, prior art devices do not solve the problems associated with the protection of rectangular container contents from day-to-day loading or transportation. What is needed is a system that is mechanically and operationally simple that can prevent rainwater from intermixing with container contents either through multiple days of loading or transportation, provide a higher level of security from content tampering. A system that can be economically manufactured and easily repaired.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The container cover deployment apparatus for rectangular containers solves the problems and provides the benefits identified above. That is to say, the present invention is a system to securely provide protection for container contents during periods of inclement weather during days of loading and during transportation of container contents. The system is easily deployed, secured, and retracted with minimal effort and is secure from weather events and transportation.


In a primary embodiment of the present invention, the container cover deployment apparatus consist of four elements, drive winch, storage roller, cover, and cover anchorage. The drive winch has an appropriate gear ration that makes the cover retraction process minimally physical. This winch drives the storage roller through a chain drive connection with the storage roller. The storage roller has the cover, in a rolled position ready to be deployed. The cover with integral battens protects container contents while the anchor points secure the deployed cover. This apparatus can be used as a retrofit covering apparatus to an existing container with modification or a new container. Containers can hold any dry material from construction debris to agricultural products.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS


FIG. 1 Overall view of the cover in a partially deployed condition.



FIG. 2 Overall view of the cover in a fully deployed condition.



FIG. 3 Overall view of the cover fully retracted.



FIG. 4 Overall view of the cover fully retracted.



FIG. 5 Overall view of the complete invention in a fully retracted condition without rectangular container.



FIG. 6 Overall view of the complete invention in a fully retracted condition without rectangular container.



FIG. 7 View of the winch and roller assembly with cover in a fully deployed condition.



FIG. 8 Side view of the winch and roller assembly.



FIG. 9 End view of the winch and roller assembly.



FIG. 10 View of the cover anchorage in a fully deployed condition.



FIG. 11 End view of the cover anchorage in a fully deployed condition.



FIG. 12 Side view of the cover anchorage in a fully deployed condition.



FIG. 13 Exploded winch assembly of the drive chain and tension elements.



FIG. 14 Exploded winch assembly of the chain drive sprocket.



FIG. 15 Exploded winch assembly of the handle and sprocket for the chain drive sprocket.



FIG. 16 Exploded winch assembly of the sprocket pawl.



FIG. 17 Exploded overall roller assembly.



FIG. 18 View of the roller assembly drive chain.



FIG. 19 View of the roller assembly end.



FIG. 20 Overall plan of a fabric cover.



FIG. 21 Retrofit wall section.



FIG. 22 Cover anchor hook element.



FIG. 23 Cover to roller connection.



FIG. 24 Cover to pull rope connection.



FIG. 25 Cover pull bar end detail.



FIG. 26 Cover batten pocket detail.





REFERENCE NUMERALS

Container—000



001 Container



010 Extension Ribs



011 Extension Container Wall



012 Sloped Wall Cap



013 Extension Base


Winch Assembly—100



101 Winch Assembly Bracket



102 Tension Arm Base



103 Cut Washers



104 Tension Base Anchorage Bolts



105 Tension Arm



106 Tension Arm Washer



107 Tension Arm Bolt



108 Drive Chain Tension Sprocket



109 Drive Chain Tension Sprocket Bolt



110 Winch Drive Shaft



111 Winch Drive Shaft Roller Bearing



112 Winch Drive Sprocket



113 Winch Drive Shaft Spacer



114 Drive Chain Sprocket



115 Winch Drive Shaft Roller Bearing



116 Winch Drive Shaft Washer



117 Winch Drive Shaft King Nut



118 Winch Drive Shaft King Nut Cotter Pin



119 Drive Shaft King Nut Cotter Pin



120 Drive Shaft King Nut



121 Drive Shaft Washer



122 Crank Gear Roller Bearing



123 Crank Gear Spacer—Small



124 Crank Gear



125 Crank Gear Spacer—Large



126 Crank Gear Roller Bearing



127 Crank Gear Washer



128 Crank Gear Drive Shaft



140 Detachable Winch Handle Arm



141 Detachable Winch Handle Washer



142 Detachable Winch Handle



143 Detachable Winch Handle Bolt



150 Pawl Bolt



151 Pawl



152 Pawl Spacer



153 Pawl Spring



160 Chain Cover



161 Drive Chain



162 Winch Cover


Storage Roller Assembly—200



201 Storage Roller End Plate—Left



202 Storage Roller Cover Anchor Bar—Top



203 Storage Roller Cover Anchor Bar—Bottom



204 Storage Roller Cover Anchor Screw



205 Storage Roller Cover Screw



206 Storage Roller End Plate—Right



220 Storage Roller Take-up Tube



221 Storage Roller Connecting Tube



222 Storage Roller Axle End—Left



223 Storage Roller Axle End—Right



224 Storage Roller Set Screw



225 Storage Roller Set Screw Lock Washer



230 Storage Roller Cover End Plate—Left



231 Storage Roller Cover End Plate Roll Pin



232 Storage Roller Drive Sprocket



233 Storage Roller Drive Sprocket Roll Pin



234 Storage Roller Washer



235 Storage Roller Drive Bearing



236 Storage Roller Axle Washer



237 Storage Roller Axle Bolt



238 Storage Roller Cover End Plate—Right



239 Storage Roller Cover


Cover—300



301 Fabric Cover



302 Metal Battens



303 Rope Pocket



304 Batten Pocket



305 Grommets



306 Anchor Tubing



310 Extruded Aluminum Pull Tube



311 Roll Pin



312 Plastic Sleeve



313 Plastic Plug



314 Metal Guide Plate



315 Washer



316 Bolt



317 Pull Rope



318 Side Flap Anchor Rope


Anchorage—400



401 Tarp Pull-Bar Anchorage



402 Pull-Bar Cleat



403 Side Flap Anchor



404 Winch Handle Holder



405 Side Flap Cleat



406 Cam Cleat With Integral Fairlead


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

There are two assemblies connected by a drive chain 161 that allows the fabric cover 301 to be pulled into a container-covered position or rolled on a take-up roller 220 to uncover the container. First assembly is a roller mechanism FIGS. 7, 8, & 9 that is located at an end and the second, is the cranking assembly FIGS. 7, 8, & 9 that rotates the roller assembly through a drive chain with a geared drive located at the same end as the roller assembly. In the event of no doors entire assembly may be located at either end of the container.


The roller assembly FIG. 17 consists of a metal tube 220 with an integral groove. This groove accepts the edge of a cover 301 with an oversized cover edge FIG. 23 which slides from a side and centered on the tube securing the cover to the tube. The cover consists of a fabric that has batten pockets 304 with solid rods 302 parallel to the roller tube 220 that provide the fabric cover rigidity on top of the container. Roller tube 220 is secured to a square bearing shaft assembly 221, 222, 223 that is held in place at each end by 230 and 238. One end is secured to a support plate 201 and the opposite end is also secured to a support plate 206 with an attached sprocket 232. This sprocket 232 provides torsional control derived by a drive chain 161 attached to the winch assembly.


Winch assembly FIG. 7 consists of a drive chain tensioner assembly FIGS. 13, 14, 15, & 16 and rotational gearing 112 and 113 that allows mechanical cranking to move the gears. The drive chain tensioner 105 removes needed slack from the chain. Needed slack is to allow removal of the drive chain 105 for maintenance and/or repairs. Drive chain is engaged on a large diameter sprocket 112 and has a smaller sprocket 113 attached with engages a small drive gear 124. The drive gear 112 is rotated through a shaft 110 and terminates outside of a mounting bracket. A hand-crank handle is then attached 128 rotating the shaft. Directional rotation is provided by a sprocket pawl 151 when engaged only allows one way rotation. Releasing the pawl 151 will allow bi-directional rotation of the drive gear. This allows the free rotation of the roller tube 220 and permits the cover to be pulled to cover the container. The cover 301 is pulled to the anchor points 401 located at the opposite end of the container.


Additional side walls are fabricated to provide slope for drainage and to accommodate variations to be encountered with the various containers commercially available.


This system arrangement allows an infinite adjustment for covering any size of container, container rim at any angle, and with and without doors. Assembly width is variable and is dependent upon container size and is only limited by legal considerations. Assembly length is variable and is dependent upon container size and is only limited by legal considerations. When doors are present, assembly is located at the opposite end.

Claims
  • 1) A rectangular container covering apparatus in a primary embodiment of the present invention, the container cover deployment and retraction apparatus for all rectangular containers consist of three elements: hand crank drive with gears and sprocket,impervious weather protection fabric cover,metal storage hood assembly with galvanized storage roller tube attached to a chain which connects to the hand crank.
  • 2) The winch connects to the storage roller tube by a chain drive. The fabric cover wraps around the storage roller tube which is housed in the metal storage hood assembly.
  • 3) The hand crank attaches to a chain that has an appropriate gear ratio that makes the fabric cover deployment and retraction process physically minimal.
  • 4) The fabric cover with integral battens protects container contents while the anchor points secure the deployed fabric cover.
  • 5) (canceled)
  • 6) (canceled)
  • 7) (canceled)
  • 8) (canceled)
  • 9) (canceled)
  • 10) (canceled)
  • 11-12) (canceled)
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional Patent Number 123456789, dated Jan. 12, 2017