Patent ID: 7779991

Claim:
An apparatus for gathering material, comprising: a bucket ( 1 ) having a main bucket surface, an intake opening and a discharge frame with a discharge opening; a motor ( 2 ) having a shaft ( 4 ); and a plurality of blades ( 3 ); wherein said blades ( 3 ) are fixed within said bucket ( 1 ) and are rotatable around said shaft ( 4 ) in a plane of rotation, said plane of rotation being parallel to said main bucket surface; said blades ( 3 ) are adapted for to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane; said blades project out of said main bucket surface whereby allowing material to be gathered into said bucket by said blades without moving said bucket; said motor ( 2 ) is fixed outside the bucket ( 1 ) below the plane of rotation of the blades ( 3 ), and below said main bucket surface; said intake opening is disposed above said main bucket surface and is adapted to allow said material to enter the bucket in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the blades and substantially parallel to said main bucket surface; and said discharge frame is disposed below said main bucket surface and is adapted to allow said material to exit said bucket in a direction substantially perpendicular to said plane of rotation of said blades and substantially perpendicular to said main bucket surface.