Rigid Backhoe Loader

Rigid blackhoe loader : how it has started ?

A rigid backhoe loader (digger  backhoe  loader backhoe) is a versatile kind of heavy equipment. Together with articulated backhoe loaders it belongs to combinations of loaders and excavators which can be regarded both as earth-moving and material handling machinery. It's the most widespread machine among backhoe loaders.

Backhoe loaders are built on tractor chassis. However  unlike agricultural tractors,  they aren't used for towing other machines or giving power to them as they don't have a power take-off. The difference between a rigid and an articulated backhoe loader is the lack of articulated connection between front and rear wheels so that the machine has an uniform frame.

The first farm tractor with a backhoe is believed to have been constructed by an English manufacturer Whitlock Bros in 1951. Although Whitlock Bros was first it's John Cyril Bamford who's commonly regarded as the inventor. Actually JCB built his tractor-based backhoe only in 1953. Five years later he introduced the first fully-integrated rigid backhoe loader. The next step was a four-wheel drive for a backhoe loader made by Hy-Dynamic in 1970.

Rigid blackhoe loader, the main manufacturers

Althougt a backhoe loader isn't as efficient in digging as an ordinary excavator it offers more versatility and is able to run both on public roads and on rough terrain. It can work with various tools like buckets  shovels  shears  hydraulic hammers  forks or grapples.

Rigid backhoe loaders  other backhoes and construction machinery in general are made by Bharat Earth Movers Ltd., Case, Caterpillar, Fiat, Hitachi, Hydrema, JCB, John Deere, Komatsu, Mahindra, New Holland, Terex, Volvo,  Yanmar etc.