v 34 configuration as shown the center leading edge tooth 38 34 and six following rippers 52 34 makes cuts extending substantially continuously the bucket width actuator 28 the bucket cylinder pivots the bucket about hinge pin 32 the bucket 39 s axis of attachment to dipperstick 22 causing the bucket to scoop loose substate with the scooping edge and teeth and to rip compact substrate with the rippers 52 it is also possible to rip by moving dipperstick 22 but much greater force is generally available from extending the bucket cylinder because rippers 52 are not transversely aligned they sequentially engage the substrate permitting each tooth to provide the maximum digging force the side to side staggering of the rippers prevents rocks frozen earth etc from being trapped between adjacent teeth and the progressively increasing clearance between the rippers and the bucket bottom provides room for material loosened by forward teeth to pass between more rearward teeth and the bucket bottom without forcing the bucket up off the substrate which would disengage the more rearward teeth the preferred 34 v 34 configuration front to rear ripper pattern allows a trailing tooth to fracture the substrate into the groove already cut by a preceding tooth as shown in fig2 and 8 a and 8 b the center lead tooth 38 38 34 in the 34 v 34 makes the initial cut ripper 52 a 52 34 a fractures material from one side into the groove cut by tooth 38 38 34 ripper 52 b 52 34 b fractures material from the other side into the groove cut by tooth 38 38 34 ripper 52 c 52 34 c fractures material from the first side into the groove cut by tooth 52 a 52 34 a and so.