Patent ID: 7866932

Claim:
A container loading system for loading bulk materials into a container, said container loading system comprising: a loading device having a loading ram that is movable to load bulk materials into a container having side walls; a side wall protector device comprising a pair of spaced-apart movable side plates and at least one actuator connected to said side plates and operable to extend and retract said side plates relative to said loading device, said at least one actuator being selectively operable independently of said loading device; wherein said side plates are selectively extendable into spaces adjacent the container side walls by said at least one actuator and are retractable therefrom, said side wall protector device substantially limiting outward movement of the loaded bulk materials and limiting said bulk materials from exerting force upon the container side walls when said side plates are extended into said spaces and when said loading device loads bulk materials into the container; and wherein, when said side plates are extended at least partially into the container, said loading ram is movable relative to said side plates and the container to move and load bulk materials into the container and into the space between said side plates, and wherein said side plates are retractable from the container after loading the bulk materials into the container with said loading device.