Loader (equipment)

Volvo L120E front loader

For the Australian rock band, see Front End Loader.

A track loader

A loader (bucket loader, front loader, front-end

loader, payloader, scoop, shovel, skip loader, or
wheel loader) is a heavy equipment machine used in
construction to move aside or load materials such as
asphalt, demolition debris, dirt, snow, feed, gravel, logs,
raw minerals, recycled material, rock, sand, woodchips,
etc. into or onto another type of machinery (such as a
dump truck, conveyor belt, feed-hopper, or railroad car).

Description

Close-up of articulated steering apparatus

pushing the material across the ground. A loader is commonly used to move a stockpiled material from ground
A loader is a type of tractor, usually wheeled, sometimes level and deposit it into an awaiting dump truck or into
on tracks, that has a front-mounted square wide bucket an open trench excavation.
connected to the end of two booms (arms) to scoop up The loader assembly may be a removable attachment
loose material from the ground, such as dirt, sand or or permanently mounted. Often the bucket can be regravel, and move it from one place to another without placed with other devices or toolsfor example, many
Loader removing snow in Jyvskyl, Finland.

ARMORED WHEEL LOADERS

can mount forks to lift heavy pallets or shipping containers, and a hydraulically opening clamshell bucket allows
a loader to act as a light dozer or scraper. The bucket can
also be augmented with devices like a bale grappler for
handling large bales of hay or straw.

lows the front axle to be solid, allowing it to carry greater

weight. Articulated steering provides better maneuverability for a given wheelbase. Since the front wheels and
attachment rotate on the same axis, the operator is able to
steer his load in an arc after positioning the machine,
Large loaders, such as the Kawasaki 95ZV-2, John Deere which can be useful. The tradeo is that when the ma844K, Caterpillar 950H, Volvo L120E, Case 921E, or Hi- chine is twisted to one side and a heavy load is lifted
tachi ZW310 usually have only a front bucket and are high, it has a greater risk of turning over to the wide
side.
called Front Loaders, whereas small loader tractors are
often also equipped with a small backhoe and are called Front loaders gained popularity during the last two
backhoe loaders or loader backhoes or JCBs, after the decades, especially in urban engineering projects and
company that rst claimed to have invented them. Other small earthmoving works. Heavy equipment manufacturcompanies like CASE in America and Whitlock in the ers oer a wide range of loader sizes and duties.
UK had been manufacturing Excavator Loaders well be- The term loader is also used in the debris removal eld
fore JCB.
to describe the boom on a grapple truck.
The largest loader in the world is LeTourneau L-2350.
Currently these large loaders are in production in the
Longview, Texas facility. The L-2350 uses a diesel electric propulsion system similar to that used in a locomotive. Each rubber tired wheel is driven by its own independent electric motor.

2 Armored wheel loaders

Loaders are used mainly for loading materials into trucks,

laying pipe, clearing rubble, and digging. A loader is not
the most ecient machine for digging as it cannot dig
very deep below the level of its wheels, like a backhoe
can. The capacity of a loader bucket can be anywhere
from 0.5 to 36 m3[1] depending upon the size of the machine and its application. The front loaders bucket capacity is generally much bigger than a bucket capacity of
a backhoe loader.
Unlike most bulldozers, most loaders are wheeled and not
tracked, although track loaders are common. They are
successful where sharp edged materials in construction
debris would damage rubber wheels, or where the ground
is soft and muddy. Wheels provide better mobility and
speed and do not damage paved roads as much as tracks,
but provide less traction.
In construction areas loaders are also used to transport
building materials - such as bricks, pipe, metal bars, and
digging tools - over short distances.
Front loaders are commonly used to remove snow especially from sidewalks, parking lots, and other areas too
small for using snowplows and other heavy equipment.
They are sometimes used as snowplows with a snowplow
attachment but commonly have a bucket or snowbasket,
which can also be used to load snow into the rear compartment of a snowplow or dump truck.

Armored wheel loader of the Israeli Defense Forces

The Israeli Combat Engineering Corps uses armored

Caterpillar 966 wheel loaders for construction and
combat engineering missions in hostile territories such
as the West Bank. They are often seen building or removing road blocks and building bases and fortications.
Since 2005, they have also been used to demolish small
houses. The Israel Defense Forces added armor plating
to the loader to protect it against rocks, stones, molotov
cocktails, and light gunre.
Rio de Janeiro's police elite squad Batalho de Operaes
Policiais Especiais (BOPE) has acquired one wheel loader
designed for military use to open routes and make way for
the police in Rio de Janeiros slums, which are controlled,
and blocked, by drugdealers.[2]

High-tip buckets are suitable for light materials such as

chip, peat and light gravel and when the bucket is emptied Several if not most countries have similar equipment.
The Dutch armed forces for instance use models like the
from a height.
Werklust WG18Edef, which weighs 15 tons, 2 more than
Unlike backhoes or standard tractors tted with a front the corresponding unarmored civilian model. In addition,
bucket, many large loaders do not use automotive steer- the Dutch military previously used extra armor modules
ing mechanisms. Instead, they steer by a hydraulically ac- covering most of the window surface with steel for extuated pivot point set exactly between the front and rear tra protection. These were however not popular with the
axles. This is referred to as articulated steering and al- crews due to low visibility.

Tractor front loaders

tractors, also called CUTs, are small tractors, typically

with 18 to 50 horsepower (37 kW) and used primarily for
These loaders are a popular addition to tractors from 50 to grounds maintenance and landscape chores. There are 2
200 hp. Its current 'drive-in' form was originally designed primary designs of compact tractor FELs, the traditional
and developed in 1958 by a Swedish company namned dogleg designed style and the curved arm style.
l when they launched their Quicke loader.[3] Tractor John Deere Tractor manufactures a semi-curved loader
loaders were developed to perform a multitude of farm- design that does not feature the one piece curved arm,
ing tasks, and are popular due to their relatively low cost but also is not of the traditional two piece design. New
(compared to Telehandler) and high versatility. Tractor Holland Ag introduced a compact loader with a one piece
loaders can be tted with many attachments such as hy- curved arm on its compact utility tractors, similar one
draulic grabs and spikes to assist with bale and silage han- piece curved arm loaders are now available on compact
dling, forks for pallet work, and buckets for more general tractors on many brands including Case/Farmall, and
farm activities.
some Montana and Kioti tractors. Kubota markets traditional loader designs on most of its compact tractors but
now features a semi-curved loader design similar to the
John Deere loader design on several of its small tractors.
4 Compact front end loaders
Abram Dietrich Thiessen of Eyebrow Saskatchewan in
the 1940s built the rst quick attach front end loader. International Harvesters took a picture of the loader and
replicated it at the Regina Agribition in November of the
same year.

While the front-end loaders on CUT size tractors are capable of many tasks, given their relatively small size and
low capacities when compared to commercial loaders, the
compact loaders can be made more useful with some simple options. A toothbar is commonly added to the front
edge of a loader bucket to aid with digging. Some loaders are equipped with a quick coupler, otherwise known
as a quick attach (QA) system. The QA system allows the
bucket to be removed easily and other tools to be added in
its place. Common additions include a set of pallet forks
for lifting pallets of goods or a bale spear for lifting hay
bales.
LHD (Load, Haul, Dump machine) is also a front end
loader but meant to be used for mine compact conditions,
can handle various range of loads with varying size of
buckets, and can be driven with electric motors as well as
diesel engines.

Semi-curved compact loader on a John Deere compact utility

tractor

5 Skid loaders & track loaders

Main articles: skid loader and track loader
A skid loader is a small loader utilizing four wheels with
hydraulic drive that directs power to either, or both, sides
of the vehicle. Very similar in appearance and design is
the track loader, which utilizes a continuous track on either side of the vehicle instead of the wheels. Since the
expiration of Bobcats patent on its quick-connect system,
newer tractor models are standardizing on that popular
format for front end attachments.

6 Swingloaders
A swing loader is a rigid frame loader with a swinging boom. The boom can swing 180 degrees or more.
Front-end loaders (FELs) are popular additions to com- Swingloaders are primarily used by the railroad industry
pact utility tractors and farm tractors. Compact utility to lay rail. Like other loaders many attachments can be
Visibility comparison of dierent loader designs

REFERENCES

attached to the boom such as magnets, forks, and buck- 8.1 Notable manufacturers
ets. Smaller swingloaders are used in farming applications for loading out. A swinging boom is advantageous
Bobcat
where space is limited. The loader is able to lift on all
sides and dump o on all sides.
Case
Bull

Gallery
A Hanomag loader
DK45 with and without a toothbar on the bucket
A relatively small front loader
A loader with a specialized claw used to move logs
at a sawmill
A Caterpillar 930G tted with a loader rake on a
residential construction site in South Florida.

Caterpillar
Doosan Infracore (formerly Daewoo Heavy Industries & Machinery)including Solar brand
Hitachi
Hyundai
JCB
John Deere
Kawasaki

The front of a Caterpillar 930G tted with loader

rake.

Komatsu

Wacker Neuson wheel loaders at a trade fair

Kramer

Compact utility tractor with a front loader showing

two dierent measurement points for loader capacities

Kubota

Swingmaster Swingloader

LeTourneau

A Liugong ZL50A in Guilin East Railway Station,

Guilin, Guangxi, China

Liebherr

See also
Backhoe loader
Bulldozer
Compactor
Crane

Larsen & Toubro

LiuGong
Manitou
Navistar International
New Holland
Volvo Construction Equipment
Wacker Neuson
XCMG

Excavator
Grader
Skid loader
Tractor
Telescopic handler
Mining Simulation

9 References
[1] http://www.cat.com/cda/layout?m=308907&x=7
[2] http://noticias.uol.com.br/cotidiano/2009/08/12/
ult5772u4933.jhtm
[3] http://www2.alo.se/Intl/Pages/history.ept l history:
From innovation to world-leading position

10

External links

Loader Specications and Comparisons

Calculating the capacity of a loaders bucket
Database covering all makes and models of farm
tractors & tractor front loaders
Loader Simulation
YouTube video of a front end loader loading a dump
truck
Payload Onboard weighing with full trip data

11

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11.1

TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

Text

Loader (equipment) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loader_(equipment)?oldid=656567887 Contributors: Michael Hardy,

Gbleem, Mac, , Ed g2s, Bearcat, Moondyne, Altenmann, Xanzzibar, Alan Liefting, DocWatson42, MathKnight, Leonard G.,
Wmahan, Neilc, Duncandewar, Mrtrey99, Neutrality, Sonett72, Kate, Heegoop, Moverton, Sietse Snel, Fir0002, Kjkolb, MARQUIS111,
Espoo, Arthena, Versageek, Gene Nygaard, Tigers boy, 2004-12-29T22:45Z, BD2412, Vegaswikian, Jdm, Gary D Robson, Sherool, Bgwhite, Gwernol, RussBot, Gaius Cornelius, Gien~enwiki, Royalbroil, NawlinWiki, Danyoung, JdwNYC, Ninly, Closedmouth, David
Biddulph, Meegs, Premkudva, SmackBot, Chris the speller, Thumperward, Kevin Ryde, Tsca.bot, OrphanBot, Acdx, Aqualize, Hu12,
PaulGS, KeepOnTruckin, Cashie, CmdrObot, Nowisthe, BoH, ShelfSkewed, Jordan Brown, Brumpz, Gogo Dodo, I already forgot, EdJogg, Rwjudd, JAnDbot, MER-C, Kkmett, Magioladitis, Xenia.kolijn, WonderWheeler, LorenzoB, STBot, EyeSerene, Bdvw7824, R'n'B,
CommonsDelinker, LinkSpamCop, Bonadea, Melensdad, Richard New Forest, Funandtrvl, Agamemnus, Arsende, Sushiya, Joedamadman, Rumiton, Andy Dingley, SieBot, WereSpielChequers, Azizali88, Pahahepa1~enwiki, ReedConstruction, Hello71, GaryColemanFan,
Lightmouse, Robko71, Manway, Wuhwuzdat, Rvannatta, Gimhana, Sassf, Ahadrt, Drmies, Furdripper, DeltaQuad, XLinkBot, EastTN,
WikHead, Addbot, Sempersububi, Queenmomcat, BulldozerD11, Luckas-bot, Yobot, Best O Fortuna, Jim1138, Ute in DC, Lady Kodaira,
EquipmentFan, Thehelpfulbot, FrescoBot, OgreBot, Adpu, MEPK, Anaxibia, GregKaye, Dozerblade, Lhw8smt, Bobzhu2009, TjBot, FNQ,
Yasir0925, Sumsum2010, TuHan-Bot, ZroBot, Veteran668, Jaqes, Orange Suede Sofa, Excavator Crawler Dozer, Pieinmyface87, Rocketrod1960, ClueBot NG, Swingmastercorp, Anqingchina, Victor sitorus, Mboopathykumar, Lililectura, Liyou502, Azaza309, XCMG,
Mogism, WackerNeuson, Xuzhimol, Ohlmarketing,
, Mikemamonov, HariharanSambasivam, DFyhrie, LaG roiL, Sanjaysingh12 and
Anonymous: 101

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Images

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11.3

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