Self-unloading on-the-go forage hopper

Abstract

The rectangular forage receiving box or hopper of a crop transporting vehicle is stowed in a compacted, generally upright and squared-up position for over-the-road travel, yet may be rotated into a tilted more spacious and functional position for field operations. When in its field operating position, the bottom of the box is inclined upwardly and outwardly toward an unfolded spout along which crop materials can be conveyed to unload the contents of the box on-the-go into a moving truck pulled alongside of the vehicle and beneath the overhanging spout. The conveyor may be selectively deactivated when the truck is filled and until the next empty truck is moved into position, during which intermediate time the harvesting operations may continue and materials may be temporarily accumulated within the box. A special mounting linkage arrangement supports the box on the vehicle frame in such a manner that the center of gravity of the box remains substantially directly above the center of the underlying vehicle frame and between spaced apart ground wheels thereof notwithstanding rotation of the box from its over-the-road orientation to its tilted field operating mode.