Funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket

1 . A funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket comprising:

a funnel and one or more hydraulic pistons;

wherein the funnel is pivotably coupled to a bucket of a loader;

wherein the one or more hydraulic pistons pivot the funnel between a funnel lifted position and a funnel lowered position;

wherein the funnel is pivoted to the funnel lifted position in order to fill the bucket with material;

wherein the funnel is pivoted to the funnel lowered position to empty the bucket through the funnel;

wherein the funnel is a hollow structure comprising a front aperture and a rear aperture;

wherein the material is poured into the funnel from the bucket via the rear aperture and exits the funnel via the front aperture;

wherein the funnel comprises a funnel bottom wall, a funnel left side wall, a funnel right side wall, and a funnel top wall;

wherein the funnel left side wall comprises a funnel left side extension;

wherein the funnel left side extension changes the orientation of the funnel left side wall such that the funnel left side wall extends rearward parallel to the left side of the bucket;

wherein the funnel right side wall comprises a funnel right side extension;

wherein the funnel right side extension changes the orientation of the funnel right side wall such that the funnel right side wall extends rearward parallel to the right side of the bucket;

wherein a bucket interface pivotably couples the funnel to the bucket;

wherein the bucket interface aligns the funnel with the bucket such that the funnel bottom wall butts against a bottom of the bucket when the funnel is in the funnel lowered position thus making the funnel an extension of the bucket.

2 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 1

wherein the front aperture is smaller than the rear aperture such that the material entering the rear aperture is guided to a destination beyond the front aperture where the destination is smaller than the rear aperture.

3 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 2

wherein the funnel has a rectangular cross-section.

4 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 3

wherein the funnel bottom wall, the funnel left side wall, the funnel right side wall, and the funnel top wall are each the shape of a trapezoid;

wherein the parallel edges of the trapezoids define the front and rear of the funnel;

wherein the smaller parallel edge defines the front of the funnel and the larger parallel edge defines the rear of the funnel.

5 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 4

wherein the funnel left side extension is oriented to be parallel to the funnel right side extension.

6 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 5

wherein the bucket interface comprises an interface left side wall, an interface right side wall, and an interface lateral bar.

7 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 6

wherein the front of the interface left side wall is coupled to the funnel left side extension;

wherein the upper rear of the interface left side wall is pivotably couple to the bucket via an interface left attachment hinge.

8 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 7

wherein the front of the interface right side wall is coupled to the funnel right side extension;

wherein the upper rear of the interface right side wall is pivotably couple to the bucket via an interface right attachment hinge.

9 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 8

wherein the interface lateral bar is coupled laterally between the top of the funnel left side wall and the top of the funnel right side wall;

wherein the interface lateral bar comprises one or more piston couplers;

wherein the piston rods of the one or more hydraulic pistons are pivotably coupled to the one or more piston couplers.

10 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 9

wherein the one or more hydraulic pistons are coupled between the interface lateral bar and the top of the bucket.

11 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 10

wherein the one or more hydraulic pistons pivot the funnel between the funnel lowered position and the funnel lifted position.

12 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 11

wherein the one or more hydraulic pistons pivot the funnel to the funnel lowered position when the one or more hydraulic pistons are extended and the one or more hydraulic pistons pivot the funnel to the funnel lifted position when the one or more hydraulic pistons are retracted.

13 . The funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 12

wherein there are two hydraulic pistons;

wherein a left hydraulic piston is pivotably coupled between a left piston coupler and the left top of the bucket and a right hydraulic piston is pivotably coupled between a right piston coupler and the right top of the bucket;

wherein the left hydraulic piston and the right hydraulic piston are adapted to move simultaneously under control of a user in order to pivot the funnel.

14 . A method for use with the funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 12

wherein to load the bucket, the funnel is pivoted to the funnel lifted position, the bucket is lowered to the ground, the loader is driven forward to push the bucket into the material, and the bucket is tilted rearward and elevated to retain the material in the bucket.

15 . A method for use with the funnel attachment for a heavy machinery bucket according to claim 14

wherein to unload the bucket through the funnel, the funnel is pivoted to the funnel lowered position, the loader is maneuvered to position the bucket above the destination, and the bucket is tilted forward to pour the material from the bucket through the funnel.