Abstract: A top unloading silo unloader pendantly supported in a tower silo. The unloader has a material collector moved around the silo with drive structure. An impeller receives material from the collector and throws the material into an out chute which directs the material to a doorway leading to an upright passageway. The drive structure mounted on the outer end of the collector has leading and trailing drive wheels connected with movable mounts to a leveling apparatus. Power is applied to both wheels by separate drive shafts connected to the power transmission for the augers of the collector. The leveling apparatus has a base secured to the collector. Supports pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the base are attached to the mounts for the wheels. A linear actuator connected to the supports operates to concurrently pivot the supports in opposite directions so that the outer end of the collector can be raised or lowered and held in a selected position.

Abstract: The apparatus of the invention is capable of loading, transporting and shredding a large bale of material. The apparatus is of a vehicle trailer type and is equipped with a box or housing unit type that is open only at the rear side of the vehicle. The apparatus has a combination tailgate and lift structure which functions as a fork lift to load and move a bale of material into the housing unit and, after such delivery, to automatically function as a tail gate to close the rear side of the housing unit. A floor conveyor within the housing moves the baled material forwardly into the path of a bale shredder which is of a flail type. The shredded material is then blown or moved by the shredder into an auger at the forward end of the housing unit for discharge into a feed bunk or storage bin.