Bulldozer also known as the caterpillar tractor or a crawler tractor is heavy equipment with extensive metal plate or blade that is used for pushing large quantities of sand, soil and others during the operation and it is usually equipped at the back with a ripper to slacken off the compacted materials.

History

The very first bulldozer was adopted from the farm tractor that was utilized to p lough the fields. The versatility of this equipment in the squashy ground for road building and logging had led this tractor to become an armored tank during the First World War.

James Cumming and J. Earl McLeod complete the first design for bulldozer in 1923, and the imitation is present at Morrowville, Kansas City Park from where the two constructed the very first bulldozer.

Primary tools of Bulldozers

Blade - bulldozer blade is made by the heavy metals placed on the tractor front with the purpose of pushing the objects, shoving soils, sand and debris. For military utilization, dozer blade was rigid on the combat engineering vehicle that can also be fitted to other vehicles like artillery tractors.

Dozer blades could also be accumulated to the main battle tank which was utilized for clearing antitank obstacles and digging improvised shelters. The combat functions of dozer blades incorporate the clearing of the battlefield obstacle and the preparation for the fire positions.

Ripper -is a device at the rear of bulldozer which is elongated and claw-like in appearance. Rippers can be single shank or they can also be in a cluster of multi shank rippers. Single shank was commonly chosen in doing heavy ripping. Tungsten steel alloy tip which is replaceable is used in fitting the ripper shank.

Rocks that were ripped allow ground surface rocks to be broken to tiny rubble which are easy to hold and transport and can be detached so that grading will take place. The agricultural ripping allows very firm rocks like podzol hard-pan be wrecked so that lands that can not be ploughed may be farmed. Hard soil may be broken and ripped in order to permit planting to orchards wherein trees could not grow.

Bulldozers were modified to develop into new equipment that can function in some ways which the original bulldozers can not. As time passed, they become more sophisticated. Essential developments included drive trains similar to automatic transmission as a substitute to manual transmission, blades controlled by means of hydraulic cylinder instead of cable winch/brake and mechanical grade control. Hydraulic cylinders permits more exact manipulation of blades and also automated controls.

Stump buster, is a less regular attachment which is a sole spike that extends beyond horizontally and could be elevated to be taken out. It is used to divide a tree stump. Bulldozers with stump busters are utilized in land clearing operations and perhaps have brush-rake blades.

The best popular producer of bulldozers is possibly Caterpillar of U. S. A. that has earned its status by producing durable, tough and reliable machines. JCB, John Deere and Komatso are their competitors at present.