Method of lifting a skid steer loader bucket

In a skid steer loader comprising

• a main frame,
• ground support wheels extending from said main frame,
• a cab mounted on said main frame, said cab including side walls extending upwardly from said main frame to define an operators control area therebetween,
• a boom structure comprising a pair of arms and a linkage assembly for operatively coupling said pair of arms to load bearing means on said main frame,
• each of said arms including a front portion having a front end extending beyond said cab,
• material handling means supported on said front portions, and
• power means operatively associated with said boom structure for raising and lowering in concert each of said pair of arms through a generally vertical path for moving said front end of said boom arms and said material handling means along a lift path,
• the method of moving said material handling means along its lift path including the steps of
• initially moving said material handling means from a known position in a substantially vertical direction to an intermediate position in said lift path that is rearward of said known position,
• subsequently moving said material handling means from said intermediate position along a slightly forwardly inclined direction to a second intermediate position that is forward of said known position, and
• finally moving said material handling means from said second intermediate position in a substantially vertical direction to complete its lift path at a final position that is rearward of said intermediate position, whereby the lift path of said material handling means from said known position to its final position is generally S-shaped in configuration.