Mobile hopper and screw conveyor pickup, loading and unloading means therefor

Claim 1

APPARATUS OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A VEHICLE COMPRISING A TRACTION UNIT DRIVEN BY A PRIME MOVER MOUNTED THEREON AND SUPPORTED UPON STEERABLE GROUND-ENGAGING WHEELS, A TRAILER UNIT INCLUDING A HOPPER ATTACHED TO SAID TRACTION UNIT AND SUPPORTED UPON STEERABLE GROUND-ENGAGING IDLING WHEELS, A LOADING SCREW CONVEYOR ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOPPER AND WITHIN A TUBE OPEN AT ITS REARWARD END AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE CORRESPONDING END OF SAID HOPPER, MEANS OPERATIVELY INTERCONNECTING SAID LOADING SCREW CONVEYOR WITH SAID PRIME MOVER, A PICKUP SCREW CONVEYOR ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN A SCOOP AND WITHIN A COMMUNICATING TUBULAR HOUSING IN OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID LOADING SCREW CONVEYOR TUBE, MOTOR MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PICKUP SCREW CONVEYOR, ROTATABLE MATERIAL-AGITATING AND DISINTEGRATING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PICKUP SCREW CONVEYOR AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR MEANS, A FEEDBACK SCREW CONVEYOR DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HOPPER IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID LOADING SCREW CONVEYOR OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PRIME MOVER AND ROTATABLE IN A DIRECTION TO SPREAD INCOMING MATERIAL REARWARDLY WITHIN THE HOPPER.