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Extendable Bucket For Front-End Loaders
Larry Williams says that although his patented ExtendaLoader for front-end loaders is not yet in production, he thinks it could revolutionize loader tractor design.
“When it’s retracted, my loader will look like any other tractor loader. But once it’s extended, it will reach out an extra 2 to 4 ft., thanks to a telescoping boom that’s not available on conventional tractor loaders,” says Williams, of Beckville, Texas. “The design does not compromise the loader’s structural stability or lifting capacity.
“When retracted, the loader bucket is the same distance from the front of the tractor as a conventional loader. But when you need to reach higher or farther, you just extend the loader hydraulically. The loader can be used in either a retracted or extended position, or anywhere in between,” he told FARM SHOW.
Williams says he got the idea from when he used to work with hydraulic cranes and Manlifts equipped with extendable booms.
“With the loader’s extra reach, the operator can reach higher and farther, which will come in handy when loading bales or loading or unloading a truck or stacking small square bales inside a shed.”
The idea is to cut the loader arms in half at the “knee” and insert a long rectangular steel box in each rear section of both loader arms. “The arms are hollow, and need to be taller and wider to accept the inner front section that extends forward. The entire length of the box is lined with friction-reducing wear pads,” says Williams. “Hydraulic cylinders slide the front section out and pull it back. The design also will be integrated into the self-leveling feature on some loaders to maintain the integrity of that function.”
He says the ExtendaLoader could be used on loaders with or without self-leveling buckets, and will maintain the modern styling of today’s new loaders. “It’s designed to solve a problem with all loaders that are just a few inches short of delivering the load or being able to reach the load.”
Williams has built a prototype and is in contact with several manufacturers. He hopes to license the ExtendaLoader.


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2021 - Volume #45, Issue #1