Load-Packer "A" 1938 This was America's first mass-production, rear-load refuse packer. This rare shot of early "A" style Load-Packers is from Montreal, Quebec. Note the squared-off bodies and the early style hopper. By 1938 Gar Wood was already the world's largest truck body builder, and the Load-Packer positioned them to dominate the packer body market for the next decade. The Load-Packer was created by George Wood, and the patent was filed in August of 1938. This early drawing (left) shows a variation with a power actuated loading door, though there is no evidence that it was ever built. The Load-Packer that actually hit the streets had a spring-loaded, manually operated door (below). Refuse was loaded through this door in the ram panel, which was then latched shut prior to starting the power packing cycle. The 1938 patent also describes a version with side loading doors on either side of an enlarged hopper, but this too probably never left the drawing board. For a detailed description of the packing mechanism, go to the next page. 8/1/04 (revised 10/1/04) © 2004 Eric Voytko All rights reserved Photos from factory brochures/advertisements except as noted Logos shown are the trademarks of respective manufacturerss