Having taken over Colecto by 1940, Heil had steadily improved the rear bucket loader, and the full integration of the brand into their product line was complete by 1945. That same year, Heil began demonstrating an even better version in cities across America. The improved model featured an automatic partial-packer plate, and was appropriately called the Colecto-Pak. Designed by Joseph Heil and Arthur Samuelsen, it was one of the most ingenious devices ever added to the common bucket loader.
Internal compaction had already been added to the Leach Refuse Getter, using a somewhat complex panel inside the body. Heil merely separated the front wall of the Colecto body, hinged it at the base, and connected it to the bucket lift arms with tie the rods at either side of the body. It was as effective as it was simple, and was inexpensive to manufacture. As the lift arms raised the bucket to empty each load, the front wall pivoted forward to create an enlarged receiving hopper. After dumping the bucket, the lift arms were lowered, the front wall pivoted rearward, sealing off the body, and compressing the load as the body became filled.
Dumping the Colecto-Pak was equally simple. With the body rear door unlocked, chains were connected between the ends of the lift arms and the bottom of the door. As the lift arms raised, they pulled open the rear door, and opened the packer plate at the front of the body. A underbody hoist then raised the body to empty the load. Initially advertised as having a choice of 8,10 and 13-yard capacities, Heil eventually settled on just two models of 9 and 12-yards. The loading hopper held 3/4-yard, and featured a hinged cover. Both Colecto and Colecto-Pak bodies were available through at least 1947, when the list price for a 9-yard Colecto was $2150.00, and an extra $300.00 would buy the Colecto-Pak. The compaction model was only 200 pounds heavier, and soon eclipsed the original model. The non-compacting Colecto was no longer advertised by 1948.
The Colecto-Pak served Heil well during the immediate post-war period, being very quickly created from a pre-war design and found many municipal customers. This was time when demand for enclosed, self-loading bodies was increasing, and bucket loaders were among the least expensive and easiest to maintain. The Colecto-Pak was clearly the best bucket loader on the market, but demand for ever-higher compaction and larger bodies was also increasing, and bucket loaders could not deliver the big payloads. Along with their Conveyor models, Colecto-Pak would admirably hold the line until Heil could field a suitable rear-load packer truck to compete with Gar Wood and Leach.
In addition to being part of the Colecto-Pak design team, Joseph F. Heil, officially took the company reins in 1946 when he was elected president by the Board of Directors. He had been with the Heil since 1923. His son, Joseph Heil Jr, was also on board, and represented the third generation in the family business. Founder and patriarch Julius P. Heil, died of a heart attack in 1949 at the age of 73. The former Governor of Wisconsin, he had founded the company almost a half-century earlier with $550.00 of his own savings, and built it into one of the biggest suppliers of truck bodies and equipment in the nation. The next generations would take his company to even greater heights.
Illustration from the original Colecto-Pak bulletin of 1945
Drawing shows the lift arms in loading/compressed position (blue highlights), and dumping/opened position (red highlights). Tie rods (A) connected the lift arms and packing door. Double-acting rams (B) helped force lift arms down as the packing plate met resistance.
VIDEO: Colecto-Pak lift and dump cycles (Courtesy of Refuse Archives)
Dumping position, with rear door held open by cables and body tipped by hoist
Chicago used Heil Conveyors and Colecto-Paks, like this 9-yard example on a GMC cabover
13-yard model on White 3000 cabover. Loading height was 35", with a hinged bucket cover
The "Beer that made Milwaukee famous" used the packer that made Heil famous, a 13-yard Colecto-Pak
Mason City, Iowa truck depositing its load in a landfill pit
Caterpillar crawler plows over a load dumped by Colecto-Pak
Fleet of 47 Colecto-Paks purchased by Milwaukee in 1949
A large fleet of 13-yard Colecto-Paks owned by Houston
