Explained: A Little History Of Bulldozers

In recent Indian political language, the phrase "bulldozer" has gained a lot of popularity. Bulldozers, on several occasions, have been utilized by the state government to demolish buildings built by accused offenders.

The trend started in Uttar Pradesh, where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath earned the nickname 'Bulldozer Baba,' and then extended to Madhya Pradesh, where Shivraj Singh Chouhan embraced Yogi's moniker and then established his identity with the name of 'Bulldozer Mama.'

ET

But does it make you wonder where bulldozers: among the most classic and essential machines in the world, where did they come from?

Did Benjamin Holt invent a Bulldozer?

Benjamin Holt constructed infinite chain traction for his steam traction engine around the end of 1904, according to experts. Based on a patent awarded to their head engineer, the Hornsby firm of England modified one of its wheel steaming traction engines to a tracklayer (crawler) type at about the same period.

None of these inventions was a bulldozer; instead, they were track-laying traction motors. The Hornsby model, on the other hand, was closer to today's bulldozers in that it was directed by modulating power to every track rather than having a steering wheel in front of the tracks like Holt's machines. During 1913-14, Hornsby sold their rights to Benjamin Holt.

So, first came the bulldozer blade.

AP

Although it is unknown who developed the first bulldozer, the dozer blade was in use long before any tractor was built. The dozer blade is a hefty metal sheet mounted on the front of the vehicle for moving things, navigating hard terrain, and pushing sand, dirt, and trash. The bulldozer blade on a vehicle's front end is typical of three types.

A Straight Blade ("S-Blade") is a delicate blade that is small and it has no horizontal bend or side flaps. A Universal Blade (or "U-Blade") is a long, curved blade with big side flaps that can hold more substance. An "S-U" hybrid blade with shorter side flaps is less curved.

This blade is commonly used to push huge rock stacks, such as at a mine.

Bulldozer blades are mounted on military engineering units and can be added to other units, such as artillery vehicles like the Type 73 or M8 Tractor, for the purpose of combat. Dozer blades are used in combat to eliminate ground obstacles and prepare fire positions.

What is a Bulldozer?

NDTV

Although the word bulldozer officially applies only to a shovel-like blade, over a period, people have come to connect the word with the entire vehicle, which includes both the blade and the crawler vehicle.

A bulldozer's main characteristics are a huge frontal blade and an efficient engine that allows it to drive large volumes of material. Despite the widespread use of large rubber wheels, several modern bulldozers still retain continuous chain treads. The bulldozer's load is distributed out by the chain treads, making it simpler to operate over uneven terrain. Bulldozers are also used to move massive volumes of dirt, stones, rubble, or other material across the world. Working in mines, quarries, farmland, and construction locations demands them.

The large, shoveling blade of a dozer, on the other hand, existed before motor transport. Traditionally, they have been used to transport soil on farms and were drawn by mules or horses.

Bulldozers can be seen on both big and small building sites, mines, roadway construction, army bases, heavy industrial factories, and massive government projects. Some bulldozers, particularly those used by the army, are equipped with shields to guard the driver from enemy fire, allowing the bulldozer to work in combat zones. The IDF Caterpillar D9 is perhaps the most well-known armored bulldozer, which is employed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for blowing up explosive devices and destroying structures under fire.

Non-government civil users have modified certain bulldozers with armor to prevent anyone from meddling with the bulldozer's operation.

A natural history of the bulldozer

According to reports, the contemporary bulldozer, like other mechanical heavy equipment, was recognized in Britain before WWII, but only in limited figures, and was not extensively utilized in construction or related areas.

Experts while looking back on British building technologies in 1964 note that little has been seen of this category of equipment until huge figures were brought from America during World War II.

Unsplash

According to an article on the World War 2 Headquarters website, armored dozers and tank dozers have been used during both the Normandy invasion and then after the battle on the coasts had stopped, immensely assisting Allied troops in pushing inland as they decided to seek to liberate Europe from Adolph Hitler and the Nazi German military.

A regular Caterpillar D7 bulldozer was usually utilized, with armor covering the engine and cab. The more flexible machines, on the other hand, were upgraded tanks. The Sherman M4A1 could be rapidly converted into tank dozers by adding a hydraulic jack and an M1 dozer blade.

The Centaur was then the most powerful of the tank dozers. The 79th Armored Division created this monster by detaching the turret from a Cromwell tank and replacing it with a bulldozer blade that was lifted and lowered with a pulley. Throughout WWII, about 250 were produced, although they didn't see service until the final months of the war.

According to the WW2 Headquarters report, 105 Sherman tank bulldozers were prepared for service for the D-Day operation. Beach obstructions and roadways were cleared, bomb holes were filled, and disabled landing craft was cleared by bulldozers and tank dozers. The Allies also employed the vehicles to clear landmines, breach battlefield trees and bushes, bury surrendered bunkers, and open a route while firing on the Germans.

The current day situation

Unsplash

This year's Ram Navami festivities in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Jharkhand were marred by large-scale violence and rioting. More than fifty residences and properties were destroyed in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone, which suffered the most disturbance. Bulldozers were then employed by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led administration to demolish 16 homes and 29 stores of accused stone pelters.

On the other hand, on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, two groups of people clashed in Delhi's Jahangirpuri locality. The local police and MCD launched an investigation into the "rioters" and began bulldozer operations on "unauthorized constructions" constructed in the region where the procession was targeted by miscreants.

The NDMC had requested at least 400 police officers from the Delhi Police to enforce the rule of law. In a letter to the police authority, the municipal corporation stated that in Jahangirpuri, a collaborative anti-encroachment campaign including the Public Works Department, the Health and Sanitation Department, and others are proposed.

Adesh Gupta, the Delhi BJP president, has also addressed the mayor of the North Corporation, requesting that unlawful "rioter" structures in Jahangirpuri be identified and demolished.

The demolition campaign has sparked tiff between both the BJP and the opposition, with several questioning the BJP's dependence on the dozer to maintain law and order. The practice is said to have started in Uttar Pradesh.

Similar calls have now been made in Karnataka, where various groups want the properties of riot suspects demolished.

The Supreme Court of India, however, ordered "status quo" for Delhi's municipal corporation.

Watch this video explainer:

For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News.