Disclosed is an integrated sensing device for determining information about a work site where earthmoving and excavation may be taking place. In one embodiment, the integrated sensing device includes optical sensors, variable range detection, and a position sensor. The sensing device may be mounted to an earth moving machine, and the methods for use include making measurements of excavated trenches, excavated soil volume, and location of potential worksite hazards. The data collected by the integrated sensing device can be synchronized with external databases. This allows for improved productivity tracking and worksite safety compliance at earth moving work sites.

A plough for burying a cable has a base frame, an upper frame member and a ploughshare support; a topside of the ploughshare support features a cable trough; and a cable guiding path extends from a front end to a rear end of the plough. The cable guiding path is arranged between the base frame and the upper frame member and along the cable trough. The upper frame member is movably connected relative to the base frame, such that the upper frame member may move between a first position. The upper frame member is arranged above the cable guiding path, and a second position wherein the upper frame member is displaced away from the cable guiding path. The whole extent of the cable guiding path is accessible from above when the upper frame member is in the second position, such that a cable may be lowered onto the cable guiding path.

A work vehicle and a method of controlling propulsion of a work vehicle includes an auxiliary work tool. The method includes receiving a propulsion input for propelling the work vehicle at a propulsion speed, determining a prime mover speed for a prime mover configured to propel the work vehicle, propelling the work vehicle with a prime mover output based on the propulsion input, operating the auxiliary work tool while propelling the work vehicle, determining an auxiliary work tool load from operation of the auxiliary work tool, determining whether the auxiliary work tool load of the auxiliary work tool exceeds an auxiliary work tool load threshold, and reducing the propulsion speed of the work vehicle if the auxiliary work tool load of the auxiliary work tool exceeds the auxiliary work tool load threshold.

A system for installation of continuous elongated tubular material in the ground involves: an agricultural tractor having a rear three-point tractor hitch, a rear drawbar and rotatable elastomeric ground-engaging interfaces; a plow mount comprising a front three-point mount hitch for connection to the rear three-point tractor hitch and a clamping connector for connection to the drawbar; and, a plow comprising a depth-adjustable blade, the plow mountable on the plow mount.

The invention is embodied in a construction quality control tool that allows owners and contractors to meet design plans and specifications. It saves time and costs to both parties' budgets by easily measuring pipe grading while eliminating need for surveyors on site and quickly transmitting print data in real time for third-party inspectors to prepare as-built plans. Most importantly, it ensures pipes are installed safely and accurately to prevent construction issues in the future.

The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises two devices: (1) a pipe setter and (2) a remote processing and recording unit. The pipe setter is mounted inside the new pipe to be installed. The pipe setter helps the pipe installer reliably and accurately install pipe that matches the line and grade (fixed x, y z) per design plan. The remote processing and recording unit enables the construction superintendent and the third-party inspector monitoring the pipe installation in real time.

This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous excavation vehicle that is capable of navigating through a dig site and carrying an excavation routine using a system of sensors physically mounted to the excavation vehicle. The sensors collect one or more of spatial, imaging, measurement, and location data representing the status of the excavation vehicle and its surrounding environment. Based on the collected data, the excavation vehicle executes instructions to perform an excavation routine by excavating earth from a hole using an excavation tool positioned at a single location within the site. The excavation vehicle is also able to carry out numerous other tasks, such as checking the volume of excavated earth in an excavation tool, navigating the excavation vehicle over a distance while continuously excavating earth from a below surface depth, and preparing a digital terrain model of the site as part of a process for creating the excavation routine.

An excavation bucket includes a bottom face part, a rear face part, a pair of opposing side wall parts, teeth, a bracket, and a target penetration depth display component. The target penetration depth display component is provided around the teeth and near an end of the side wall part that forms an edge of an opening, and displays the target penetration depth. A wrist radius is an imaginary line segment connecting a center of a first hole in the bracket and the distal end of the teeth in side view. The target penetration depth display component is provided to an inside of at least one of the pair of opposing side wall parts and at a position of the side wall part corresponding to a position that has moved along the imaginary line segment from the distal end of the teeth by a specific proportional length of the wrist radius.

The present invention relates to a ground sawing machine comprising a frame supported by rear wheels (34a, 34b) and front wheels (36a, 36b) arranged for moving the ground sawing machine over a surface (38). At least one motor (40, 6) and a saw blade (2) are mounted to the frame, at least one motor (40) being arranged to propel the saw blade (2) to cut against the surface (38). The pointing direction (80) relative the surface (38) of the rear wheels (34a, 34b) and/or the front wheels (36a, 36b) is adjustable by means of an electrically controlled actuator (56) which is controlled by means of control means (70, 71, 72) arranged to provide at least three different control signals, one for left turn, one for right turn and one for center. The control signal for left turn and right turn are arranged for adjusting the pointing direction (80) of the adjustable wheels (34a, 34b) correspondingly, and the control signal for center is arranged for adjusting the pointing direction (80) of the adjustable wheels (34a, 34b) to a predetermined value.

A method for excavating a ditch and installing an underground pipeline. The method includes excavating a ditch utilizing a predetermined GPS model having grading and alignment requirements for the ditch and the underground pipeline and inserting pipes into the ditch. A laser beam is projected from a laser beam apparatus in association with a first pipe section that utilizes the grading and alignment requirements of the predetermined GPS model to guide excavation and installation of one or more sections of pipes. A remote-controlled vehicle is inserted into the first pipe and is configured to focus the projected laser beam to guide excavation and installation of successive pipe sections. The remote-controlled vehicle is navigated through the pipeline during installation to guide grading of subsequent ditch sections and alignment of additional pipe sections.

A vehicle having a long track or wheel-trail wheel combination on one side and a smaller ground engaging member, such as a short track or wheel on the other. The vehicle has a work attachment on one end of its frame, which is provided clearance on the side of the vehicle with the short track or wheel. A control system is provided to allow an operator to properly control a direction of the vehicle despite the fact that different forces may be required to operate the long track and the short track or wheel.