Tarp harness draft and equalizer assembly

• US 5,529,321 A
• Filed: 12/08/1994
• Issued: 06/25/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George R. Thompson
• Original Assignee: George R. Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, George R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US08/351,954
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 280/19, 280/405.1, 280/406.1, 280/416, 280/18, 280/20, 280/28.17
• US Class Current: 280/19
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 59/042 having pulling means arranged on the rear part of the tractor

Abstract

A portable ground engaging, draft and equalizer assembly and kit for loading and subsequent hauling of discrete items of large bulk such as mulch, leaves, and grass cuttings. The kit is characterized by a singletree draft bar to which a hauling harness is secured, the draft bar and harness bearing clevis clips for attachment to a flexible, reinforced tarpaulin. Grommets suitably anchored in the tarpaulin selvedge edges provide towable connection thereto. Specific reinforcement of the tarp ensures against tearing under excess load conditions and the tarp is thus provided with consistently spreadable characteristics. The coaction of tow bar, tarpaulin weights in the combination, enhance the continual spreading of the tarpaulin when it is loaded and being towed by hand or tractor. The assemblage provides a readily furled travel kit, the tow bar serving as a rigid core therefor.

Claims

1. A ground engaging tarp-harness draft equalizer assembly (10) for loading and hauling of discrete particles of mulch, grass and leaves comprising:

a) a rigid draft bar unit (12), said rigid draft bar unit (12) bearing spaced-apart, laterally shiftable clevis clips (16), intermediate the ends of the rigid draft bar unit (12), the clevis clips being removably engageable with a flexible tarpaulin (30);

b) a high-tension flexible draw harness (20) balanceably secured at a rear end of the flexible tarpaulin (30) to the rigid draft bar unit (12) at equidistantly spacecd-apart points along the rigid draft bar unit (12), said high-tension flexible draw harness (20) engaging at a forward end draft clevis clip (26);

c) said flexible tarpaulin (30) with spaced-apart grommets (32) in reinforced edges of the flexible tarpaulin (30), engageable and disengageable by said laterally shiftable clevis clips (16) of the rigid draft bar unit (12), forward lateral portions of said tarpaulin being folded upon themselves on opposite sides of the tarpaulin, said lateral portions being retained by said laterally shiftable clevis clips (16) engagement of superposed grommets (32), providing reinforcement and reduced draft to a forward end of the tarpaulin;

d) at least one weight secured within respective opposite selvedge edges (38) of the tarpaulin (30) adjacent its after end.

2. The ground engaging tarp-harness draft equalizer assembly (10) of claim 1 wherein the relative length and width in feet of the bar (12) to the tarpaulin (30) are at a ratio of 4:

5, the tarpaulin being longer than its is wide.

3. The ground engaging tarp-harness draft equalizer assembly (10) of claim 1 wherein the relative length and width in feet of the bar (12) to the tarpaulin (30) are at a ratio of 4:

6, the tarpaulin being longer than it is wide.

4. The ground engaging tarp-harness draft equalizer assembly (10) of claim 1 wherein the relative length and width in feet of the bar (12) to the tarpaulin (30) are a ratio of 5:

8, the tarpaulin being longer than it is wide.

5. The ground engaging tarpaulin harness draft equalizer assembly (10) of claim 1 wherein the relative length and width in feet of the bar (12) to the tarpaulin (30) are at a ratio of 6:

10, the tarpaulin being longer than it is wide.

6. The ground engaging tarp-harness draft equalizer assembly (10) of claim 1 wherein the relative length and width in feet of the bar (12) to the tarpaulin (30) are at a ratio of 7:

12, the tarpaulin being longer than it is wide.