Self-loading vehicle

Claim 1

A FRONT-LOADING VEHICLE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A VEHICLE CHASSIS HAVING AN OPERATOR''S CAB MOUNTED AT THE FRONT OF THE CHASSIS AND HAVING A REFUSE-TYPE BODY MOUNTED ON THE CHASSIS BEHIND THE CAB, SAID BODY HAVING AN ACCESS OPENING AT THE TOP, A LOADING MECHANISM INCLUDING A PAIR OF BOOMS, A PAIR OF LIFTING ARMS, AND A PAIR OF LOAD-ENGAGING BEAMS, EACH BOOM BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ONE END ON SAID VEHICLE ADJACENT THE TOP-REAR OF SAID CAB FOR MOVEMENT IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE AND HAVING ONE OF SAID LIFTING ARMS PIVOTALLY SUSPENDED AT ONE END THEREOF FROM THE OTHER BOOM END, EACH OF SAID LIFTING ARMS HAVING ONE OF SAID BEAMS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT THE OTHER ARM END, EACH OF SAID BOOMS HAVING A PAIR OF SPROCKET WHEELS MOUNTED THEREON ADJACENT ITS RESPECTIVE ENDS FOR ROTATION IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE, EACH PAIR OF WHEELS HAVING AN ENDLESS CHAIN PASSING THEREAROUND, A PAIR OF HYDRAULIC RAMS CONNECTED TO SAID BOOMS, RESPECTIVELY FOR TURNING THEM ABOUT THEIR PIVOTS, A PAIR OF HYDRAULIC RAMS CONNECTED TO SAID BEAMS, RESPECTIVELY, FOR TURNING THEM ABOUT THEIR PIVOTS, A SHAFT CONNECTING THE SPROCKET WHEELS ADJACENT THE PIVOTS OF SAID BOOMS; A WORM WHEEL ON SAID SHAFT, A WORM GEAR MESHING WITH SAID WORM WHEEL, AND A MOTOR FOR DRIVING SAID WORM GEAR.