Article transporting apparatus with an articulated two section boom assembly connected at one end to a movable base, for example, a wheeled vehicle to allow rotation of the boom assembly about a vertical axis as well as vertical pivotal movement. A gripper assembly including a pair of swinging gripper arms is pivotally connected at the free end of the boom assembly. A parallel motion control system maintains a a predetermined attitude of the gripper assembly during vertical pivotal movement of the boom assembly. The gripper arms are especially adapted for grasping material subject to tearing, for example, a burlap sheet containing bundled material.