Patent ID: 9598248
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: A01K,B65G

Claim:
1. An apparatus for loading material, the apparatus configured to be operatively connected to a towing vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a loading conduit and a return conduit spaced from and separated from the loading conduit, the loading conduit and return conduit each having respective and separated housing portions, and wherein the loading conduit and return conduit are operatively configured for material intake at a first location and configured for material output at a second location; a loading mechanism operative within the loading conduit and the return conduit, the loading mechanism including a single endless belt having a plurality of loading plates anchored thereto, the single endless belt configured to travel within the loading conduit from the first location to the second location and subsequently within the return conduit from the second location to the first location, the loading mechanism picking up material at the first location and expelling material at the second location, wherein travel of the single endless belt within the loading conduit includes travel in a vertical direction in a first portion of the loading conduit and travel in a horizontal direction in a second portion of the loading conduit, and wherein the loading plates are anchored to the endless belt such that when the loading plates are elevating the material in the loading conduit, the loading plates are inclined upwardly from horizontal and an angle formed between the vertically travelling single endless belt and the loading plates is between 1 and 10 degrees from horizontal; and a drive system operatively connected with the loading mechanism, the drive system configured to provide power to the loading mechanism; wherein the loading conduit surrounds the endless belt from the first location to the second location and the return conduit surrounds the endless belt from the second location to the first location; and wherein when the single endless belt is travelling in the horizontal direction the second portion of the loading conduit is located below and separated from the return conduit.