Clevis-mounted impact ripper

In a ripper assembly (10) having a beam (11) adapted to be secured to an earthworking machine, a clevis pivot pin (22), an impact breaker mechanism (18), a shank (19) provided with a shank pivot pin (25), a ripper tip (21) defining a ripper tip axis (31) and defining a distal end (34), and a bracket (16) pivotally mounted to the clevis pivot pin (22) and carrying the impact breaker mechanism (18) to apply an impact force to the shank (19) urging the ripper tip (21) about the axis (24) of the shank pivot pin (25), the improvement comprising:

• means on said bracket (16) for mounting said shank pivot pin (25) to define a horizontal pivot axis (24) substantially vertically above the ripper tip (21);
• and
• means for mounting said clevis pivot pin (22) to said beam (11) to define a vertical pivot axis (23) substantially intersecting said distal end (34) of the ripper tip (21).

In a ripper assembly (10) having a beam (11) adapted to be secured to an earthworking machine, a clevis pivot pin (22) mounted to said beam to define a vertical pivot axis (23), an impact breaker mechanism (18), a shank (19) provided with a shank pivot pin (25), a ripper tip (21) defining a ripper tip axis (31), and a bracket (16) pivotally mounted to the clevis pivot pin (22) and carrying the impact breaker mechanism (18) to apply an impact force to the shank (19) urging the ripper tip (21) about the axis (24) of the shank pivot pin (25), the improvement comprising

• means defining planar, confronting impact force transfer surfaces (28,29) on said breaker mechanism (18) and shank (19) respectively arranged to extend transversely to said ripper tip axis (31), the abutment of said transfer surfaces defining a plane in which lies a radius (30) from said shank pivot pin axis (24) which pivot pin axis extends perpendicularly to said ripper tip axis (31).