Boom and grapple configuration for loading wholestalk cut sugar cane and method of operation

摘要

A wholestalk sugar cane loader apparatus is provided for the picking up and accumulating of windrowed wholestalk sugar cane from a cane field ground surface using a boom and grapple configuration that skews the grapple jaw travel path with respect to the longitudinal axis of the boom. This configuration allows use of a shorter boom and a shorter travel path. This configuration also allows greater spacing between the loader and the cane cart to improve cane quality by eliminating both cane rollover and the muddying of the cane which typically occurs by splashing of tires because of the close proximity of the cane loader and the cane cart.