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Hi, Alex. Try the link below for a short history of bulldozers. Rippers originally evolved from single furrow, horse-drawn moldboard plows as used for dam sinking during the second half of the 1800's and early 1900's. Steam traction engines enabled the use of heavier plows until eventually internal combustion-engined tractors replaced steam and then crawler tractors came on the scene. Somewhere in there, somebody came up with the idea of replacing the moldboard plow blade with a single vertical tyne in a trailed frame on wheels and somebody else - I think it was Robert Gilmour LeTourneau - came up with a powered cable control for raising and lowering it. As technology and tractor design evolved, it became possible to mount the ripper on the rear of the tractor. This made it far more convenient and versatile as it was always there, ready to use, instead of having to be hitched up and un-hitched for each use. As tractors got bigger, so did rippers and the cable control gave way to hydraulics. There two main types of rear-mounted ripper, hinged and paralellogram, and both have pros and cons, although paralellogram rippers generally seem to be more favoured these days. Another advance in ripper design was the development of vibratory rippers which employ vibration to help shatter rock and hard ground. Hope this helps. You have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.
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