I first want to say that I recently found this forum and it's got a lot of great information on it, lots of really cool pictures. Thanks for everyones input... I haul mostly asphalt in North Carolina. For some reason, even when it's 100 degrees outside, it seems overly important that you pull straps on your tarp. I've argued the point too many times to count now and I've even proven my point many times by showing up with an unstrapped load with was actually warmer than my previous strapped load, on state jobs. I usually check the temp of the load before I leave the plant myself, my probe has been calibrated with the QC probe at the plant. So anyway... I been trying to figure out a way that I could manually release the straps from inside the truck cab, not having to get out into tack and get that mess all in my truck. I usually will get out at the flagman and release the straps there but on some jobs they are adamant that you have to release them in front of the paver right before you dump out. This drives me bat-crap crazy. So, I've been looking for air powered cylinders that would clasp the strap and that I could release the cylinder from inside the cab of the truck. I've even looked for some type of electromagnetic holding device that I could turn on and off from my seat but I can't find anything like this. The straps we use are the black rubber type, with the S hooks on each end. I only use two, connecting them to make one long strap and connecting each free end to the eyelets of my tarp. Then I pull the two connected S hooks down the side of my truck to another short strap that is is secured to the rail on the side of my dump bed. If I could figure out something to hold those two S hooks and then be able to trip it to release the hooks...that'd be awesome. No more tack in my truck. So... anybody seen this done before or have a clue as to how I could pull this off?
Sounds like a challenging project. The first solution that comes to mind is instead of using the individual rubber straps, use a continuos length of blasting fuse in a shoelace pattern . This way you could simply light the end from the cab and viola! the tarp is free. You would have to experiment with different burn rates to find the optimum solution. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know. Good luck!
HAHA, that's a good one. I hadn't thought of that. I know that would go over well with the state inspector...fuse burning and smoke pouring off the truck. There are some of us whose using a continuous strap though, ran in and out of the eyelets almost like what you're saying. I could do that too... still need to figure out how to release that pulled strap from inside the cab. I actually have it figured out, I just need the stinking actuator to do it with, whether it's air powered or electrically.
Seriously though, check this out for some ideas. http://www.bowersflybaby.com/tech/tailhook.html
Something just like that would work. If you could hook the release mechanism to either an air powered actuator or even an electrical one, that would be awesome. Assuming that is, that it's not huge and would stick off the side of an Ox dump body too much. Guess you could put it between the supports on the side maybe if it's very large. Where could you get something like that at? Wonder how big it is...
Check out the fabrication drawings, you could make one in a couple of hours. http://www.bowersflybaby.com/tech/Tail Hook Drawings.pdf
That's pretty awesome, thanks for your time and input. I think maybe I can get a local fab shop to build this for me out of something like billet aluminum or something similar. I'm looking into using something like the Bimba 021-d air actuators to release this. I was actually thinking originally of just using them mounted at a 45 degree angle and then by having the cylinder rod retract, the strap would release. But this is a much better idea. Thank you so much for this, I'd never found this on my own. I'm gonna check tomorrow and see how much it'll cost to have this built, what I'll tie up in the those actuators and the rest of the project. Once I get the parts together and get it mounted and working, I'll have to post pictures and/or video to let everyone see this in action. I'm sure there are some other guys that could find this useful. Might even find another use for it totally different from mine.
Good luck! Put up some pics when you get it installed.