Compact loader-trammer

Material handling apparatus comprising a frame having a raised load compartment for receiving material, said load compartment having a deck with a raised floor and opposed sides between opposite front and rear ends;

• a curved surface continuous with said raised floor and extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom;
• a bucket having opposed side walls, a heel, a lip, and a bucket bottom extending between said side walls and also between said lip and said heel;
• a carriage mounted for movement along the frame in a predetermined linear path between the ends of the load compartment, means pivotally mounting said bucket to said carriage along a pivot axis remote from said bottom and extending between said side walls, said bucket and said curved surface cooperating for providing a close sliding fit between a part of said bucket bottom at said heel and said curved surface during movement of the bucket to and from raised and lowered positions, in which lowered position said bottom and side walls project forwardly from the frame for loading the bucket and in which raised position said bucket heel is on said floor and said bucket bottom is inclined upwardly relative to said load compartment floor and with said heel slidable along said floor and said bucket side walls being closely spaced respectively to said opposed compartment sides, and means for moving said carriage and said pivot axis along said frame and through said predetermined linear path to raise and lower said bucket with initial linear movement of the carriage with the pivot axis toward the rear end of the compartment acting through the pivot means to effect the sliding fit movement between a part of the bucket at the heel and the floor curved surface such that it initially simultaneously lifts said bucket and rotates said bucket about said pivot axis toward the raised position and thereafter with further movement of the carriage and pivot axis toward the rear end of the compartment causes said bucket to move rearwardly linearly along the frame in the raised position for discharge of material into said compartment.