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Larry Williams has conceived of a unique extension device to augment the reach of front- end loaders. The latter is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a usually wheeled vehicle with a hydraulically operated scoop in front for excavating and loading loose material.” However, practically speaking, the term often refers to additions to compact utility tractors, larger farm tractors, and certain types of construction industry tractors like backhoe loaders. Not surprisingly, front-end loaders are considered essential in both the agricultural and construction industries for accessing and moving all kinds of relevant materials – from bales of hay to concrete blocks.
A longtime farmer himself, Mr. Williams has used multiple front-end loaders on his tractors over the years. While he has been pleased with the functionality they enable, he has noticed a significant shortcoming: Front-end loaders are often just a few feet short of reaching the desired load. A lifelong tinkerer and creative thinker, Mr. Williams began thinking of how to extend the reach of a front-end loader in a manner that would not compromise its structural stability or lifting capacity.
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After years of brainstorming and planning, Williams conceived of the aptly-named ExtendaLoader, an extendable boom that lengthens the reach of a front-end loader by a distance of up to four feet. This patent-issued invention (US10676893) has been designed to provide the much-needed additional front-end loader reach and lifting capacity without compromising the structural stability of the tractor to which the loader is attached. In some instances, balancing the additional extension with counterweights is not even likely to be necessary. However, even where it is, this can be addressed with rear wheel weights.
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The invention, as represented in the patent diagram on the side, consists of a support structure that attaches to the loader and two booms. Each boom has a leg that can be elongated using a hydraulic cylinder that can extend up to four feet (in a doglegged manner that does not interfere with the wheels of the tractor) and then retract back into its original length. This manner of length adjustment is not unlike a telescope that is stretched out and then, after use, retracted back into compact form. The end result is a significant front-end loader enhancement that enables a tractor to both attain materials that are located up to four feet higher/farther than usual and also deliver materials to higher/farther target locations.
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The “before and after” patent diagrams below, i.e. images of a typical front-end loader without the additional ExtendaLoader functionality (Figures 6A and 6B) followed by those of a typical front-end loader with that functionality (Figures 7A and 7B), further illustrate the additional reach that Mr. Williams’ invention enables. Note that Figure 7A demonstrates further downward/forward reach while Figure 7B demonstrates further upward/forward reach.
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(Pre-) Product Testimonial
Even prior to the prototype phase, ExtendaLoader Larry Williams received some interest from a farmer in Eastern Ohio who had read about the invention in Farm Show, an industry periodical. That farmer, Allen Schlabaph, asked for the product as soon as it becomes available and explained his pressing need for its capabilities. “I have a loft in the shop for storage," he explained, "wood, spare tires, trailer parts, that type of thing. Problem is, my current loader is about 2 ft. short to reach the loft. So, I'm left with two bad choices. I can invest in a bigger and more expensive tractor with a better loader or I can transport it myself, lug it up there on my back. Clearly, a product like the ExtendaLoader is a more practical alternative. I look forward to using it as soon as it is available!”
Even prior to the prototype phase, ExtendaLoader Larry Williams received some interest from a farmer in Eastern Ohio who had read about the invention in Farm Show, an industry periodical. That farmer, Allen Schlabaph, asked for the product as soon as it becomes available and explained his pressing need for its capabilities. “I have a loft in the shop for storage," he explained, "wood, spare tires, trailer parts, that type of thing. Problem is, my current loader is about 2 ft. short to reach the loft. So, I'm left with two bad choices. I can invest in a bigger and more expensive tractor with a better loader or I can transport it myself, lug it up there on my back. Clearly, a product like the ExtendaLoader is a more practical alternative. I look forward to using it as soon as it is available!”