Abstract: A retractable curtain-like closure for a vehicle such as a trailer includes an automatic retraction mechanism and vertical and horizontal tensioning mechanisms. Once the curtain has been extended over an open side of the vehicle, the curtain is vertically tensioned by rotation of a roll bar extending along a bottom edge of the curtain until the curtain is taut. The roll bar is held in position during vertical tensioning by a series of hooks located along a bottom edge of the trailer. The curtain is tensioned in a horizontal direction by connecting the side edges of the curtain to a rotatable rod by a series of pins and rotating the rod to tension the curtain. The horizontal tensioning mechanism also includes a weather sealing flap which is closed to seal the side edges of the curtain by rotation of the tensioning rod.

Abstract: A retractable closure includes a flexible sheet that is comprised, at least in part, of torsion spring material that causes the flexible sheet to form a roll when retracted. The flexible sheet preferably is of sufficient length and width, when extended, typically to close, cover, curtain or partition a selected area. In preferred practice, the torsion spring material comprises a plurality of torsion spring members carried in separate pockets of the flexible sheet at intervals spaced across the width of the flexible sheet. The flexible sheet is unrolled and extended lengthwise by pressurizing and expanding a plurality of elongate fluid-pressure-expansible members that are connected to the flexible sheet, with the expansible members extending along a selected portion of the length of the sheet at intervals spaced across the width of the sheet--preferably with each expansible member carried in a separate pocket of the flexible sheet.