Patent ID: 7712234

Claim:
An excavation bucket configured to form a trench, the bucket comprising: a longitudinally extending first sidewall; a longitudinally extending second sidewall positioned in spaced relation to the first sidewall; a bottom portion connecting the first sidewall and the second sidewall; a plurality of longitudinally extending cutting teeth supported by the bottom portion; and a ripper apparatus releasably attached to the first sidewall, the ripper apparatus including a mounting member having an inner surface and an outer surface, a coupler configured to releasably attach the mounting member to the first sidewall such that the inner surface of the mounting member faces an outer surface of the first sidewall, and a plurality of cuff ers inserted from the inner surface of the mounting member and extending through openings within the mounting member, each of the plurality of cutters having at least one compression surface defining an outer dimension greater than an inner dimension of the opening of the mounting member receiving the cutter such that the cutters are compression fit within the openings of the mounting member, the plurality of cutters extending laterally outwardly from the outer surface of the mounting member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the first sidewall, the plurality of cutters being configured to create indentations in a sidewall of the trench formed by the bucket.