TRUCK FOR PICKING AND TRANSPORTING STRAW

In a loading vehicle comprising a pick-up drum (21) with resilient fingers (23) for picking up straw or other crop material from the ground and a conveyor drum (26) with conveyors (27), fitted in rows, for carrying the material picked up into the vehicle, the pick-up drum and the conveyor drum are disposed with respect to each other so that the conveying direction of the material is abruptly changed when the material is introduced into the path of motion of the conveyors. This produces a damming-up effect causing the material to be distributed over the entire conveyor front, which minimizes the tendency of squeezing between conveyors and the housing wall defining the conveyor duct (34) at one side. The change in conveying direction also causes a certain compaction of the material, resulting in a better utilization of the available volume. The structure allows short spacing between the conveyors (27) and thus closely spaced knives in the conveyor duct so that the material e.g. blades of grass can be cut in small pieces which are suitable for ensilage.