Patents by Inventor David R. Munter

David R. Munter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10569625
    Abstract: A mobile apparatus is used to distribute a tarp over a cargo loaded onto a trailer bed. An arch-shaped structure employing a pair of side members is mounted to a travel unit including a pair of carriage devices. Each carriage device is mounted for travel on an associated rail located at one of the sides of the trailer bed. Each side member is mounted to the pair of carriage devices at a respective pair of releasable pivot joints each located at one of the opposing ends of the side member. Each side member is available to pivot when the set of pivot joints associated with the other, non-pivoting side member is temporarily disabled. A pair of linear actuators drivingly coupled to the pair of side members is used to create a turning moment and induce the pivoting action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Inventor: David R. Munter
  • Patent number: 10005344
    Abstract: A tarp distributing apparatus includes a tarp guide device held in an immobile condition adjacent to and extending upright to above a rear location on a truck load bed so as to establish the height to which a tarp can be moved to above and over the rear of a cargo on the truck load bed, a tarp draught device mounted in a mobile condition adjacent to and extending upright to above the truck load bed forwardly of the tarp guide device so as to undergo movement relative thereto and along the truck load bed for engaging and pulling the tarp relative to the tarp guide device forwardly over the cargo, and an actuation mechanism configured to manipulate and move the tarp draught device relative to the tarp guide device and the cargo so as to accomplish distributing the tarp over at least a portion of the cargo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Inventor: David R. Munter
  • Publication number: 20170096054
    Abstract: A tarp distributing apparatus includes a tarp guide device held in an immobile condition adjacent to and extending upright to above a rear location on a truck load bed so as to establish the height to which a tarp can be moved to above and over the rear of a cargo on the truck load bed, a tarp draught device mounted in a mobile condition adjacent to and extending upright to above the truck load bed forwardly of the tarp guide device so as to undergo movement relative thereto and along the truck load bed for engaging and pulling the tarp relative to the tarp guide device forwardly over the cargo, and an actuation mechanism configured to manipulate and move the tarp draught device relative to the tarp guide device and the cargo so as to accomplish distributing the tarp over at least a portion of the cargo.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventor: David R. Munter
  • Patent number: 9555696
    Abstract: A tarp distributing apparatus includes a tarp guide device held in an immobile condition adjacent to and extending upright to above a rear location on a truck load bed so as to establish the height to which a tarp can be moved to above and over the rear of a cargo on the truck load bed, a tarp draught device mounted in a mobile condition adjacent to and extending upright to above the truck load bed forwardly of the tarp guide device so as to undergo movement relative thereto and along the truck load bed for engaging and pulling the tarp relative to the tarp guide device forwardly over the cargo, and an actuation mechanism configured to manipulate and move the tarp draught device relative to the tarp guide device and the cargo so as to accomplish distributing the tarp over at least a portion of the cargo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Inventor: David R. Munter
  • Publication number: 20160375748
    Abstract: A tarp distributing apparatus includes a tarp guide device held in an immobile condition adjacent to and extending upright to above a rear location on a truck load bed so as to establish the height to which a tarp can be moved to above and over the rear of a cargo on the truck load bed, a tarp draught device mounted in a mobile condition adjacent to and extending upright to above the truck load bed forwardly of the tarp guide device so as to undergo movement relative thereto and along the truck load bed for engaging and pulling the tarp relative to the tarp guide device forwardly over the cargo, and an actuation mechanism configured to manipulate and move the tarp draught device relative to the tarp guide device and the cargo so as to accomplish distributing the tarp over at least a portion of the cargo.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventor: David R. Munter