Chassiless vehicle and front refuse loader

A self-propelled wheeled load handling vehicle comprising:

• a load receiving tank directly supported upon a spaced driving wheel suspension system and a driven wheel suspension system;
• a prime mover means and power transmission means attached to said tank between said suspension systems to interconnect said prime mover power to said driving wheels;
• a fluid power source;
• an operator's cab attached to a forward end of said tank, said cab having means to control the operation of said vehicle and said fluid power source;
• said load receiving tank having a top front load receiving opening and a closure therefor, said closure pivotally supported to the top of said tank about an axis that is substantially transverse to the longitudinal forward/rearward axis of said tank, said pivot located at the rear of said opening;
• first fluid power cylinder/piston means attached between said tank and said closure to pivot said closure from a horizontal closed position to a substantially vertical position;
• a compacting packer piston reciprocable inside said tank from front to rear and vice-versa;
• a tailgate of substantially the cross-sectional size of said tank and hingably connected to the rear end of said tank;
• front loader means to temporarily attach with a pick-up load container positioned on the ground, raise and dump same into said load receiving opening and return said container to the ground, said front loader means comprising vertically parallel guide tracks extending forwardly and upwardly of said operator's cab toward said top front of said opening, a connecting arm having guide means for travel on each of said guide tracks, load receiving arm means pivotally attached to the lower end of each said connecting arm, a second fluid power cylinder/piston means to pivot said load receiving arm means in a vertical plane, and means to pivotally interconnect the upper end of each said connecting arm with said closure means.