box blade

A box blade is a type of implement used on

tractor A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or construction. Most commo ...

s for

smoothing In statistics and image processing, to smooth a data set is to create an approximating function that attempts to capture important patterns in the data, while leaving out noise or other fine-scale structures/rapid phenomena. In smoothing, the dat ...

and

contouring Contouring is a makeup technique that uses cosmetics to define, enhance and sculpt the structure of the face or other body parts, such as breasts. Contouring is usually produced by placing a warm or cool toned color that is one or two shades da ...

land. It is almost always unpowered, though can have auxiliary

hydraulics Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counte ...

attached in order for adjustments to be made without leaving the seat of the tractor. It is attached to the tractor via the three point hitch. Box blades are a variation of the rear

blade A blade is the portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on. Histor ...

which has developed into its own implement, with uses that parallel that of a rear blade, but are distinct. They consist of a heavy metal 3 sided box, with the front, top and bottom open. The front has retractable scarifiers which can be used to break up hard ground. The rear has a forward and reverse cutting edge mounted at the bottom, with the reverse cutting edge often gated or floating on more expensive models. Box blades are usually very heavy due to the forces placed on them - even a lightweight one will weigh 500 pounds. The implement works going forward by scraping soil, carrying it forward as it rolls inside the box, and allowing some to work out as the blade passes over low spots. It works going back much like a dozer blade, pushing dirt, which can spill out the bottom or sides. Unlike a dozer blade, box blades are not adjustable relative to the tractor more than a few degrees in any direction, and generally only when the operator dismounts the tractor. Box blades are primarily used for moving

dirt Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debris: scattered pieces of waste or remains * Dust: a gener ...

, smoothing

land Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of the planet Earth that is not submerged by the ocean or other bodies of water. It makes up 29% of Earth's surface and includes the continents and various isla ...

, and contouring land. Most major tractor implement manufacturers make box blades, including Cammond, Woods, Gannon, & BushHog. Commercial

laser guided Laser guidance directs a robotics system to a target position by means of a laser beam. The laser guidance of a robot is accomplished by projecting a laser light, image processing and communication to improve the accuracy of guidance. The key ide ...

models are coming into use which automatically level the blade via

reference Reference is a relationship between objects in which one object designates, or acts as a means by which to connect to or link to, another object. The first object in this relation is said to ''refer to'' the second object. It is called a '' name'' ...

to an external

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fi ...

. Three point road graders can be viewed as a specific type of box blade, and are used to

grade Grade most commonly refers to: * Grade (education), a measurement of a student's performance * Grade, the number of the year a student has reached in a given educational stage * Grade (slope), the steepness of a slope Grade or grading may also ref ...

and maintain

and

gravel road A gravel road is a type of unpaved road surfaced with gravel that has been brought to the site from a quarry or stream bed. They are common in less-developed nations, and also in the rural areas of developed nations such as Canada and the Unit ...

s. They usually have 2 parallel

angle In Euclidean geometry, an angle is the figure formed by two rays, called the '' sides'' of the angle, sharing a common endpoint, called the '' vertex'' of the angle. Angles formed by two rays lie in the plane that contains the rays. Angles a ...

d cutting edges, and long, low sidepieces. Manufacturers include Dura-Grader, Road Boss, and RoadRunner. {{tool-stub Construction equipment