A hitch mechanism for a work vehicle configured for operation on slopes. The hitch mechanism couplable to a tether fixed in position up the slope. An arm extends outwardly and upwardly from the work vehicle frame and supports a tether engaging structure couplable to the tether. The arm is mounted to the frame structure beneath the body portion of the work vehicle and extends rearwardly from the frame to support the tether engaging structure rearwardly of the body portion and rearwardly of the ground engaging drive mechanism. The hitch includes a pivot structure coupling the arm to the frame that allows the arm to pivot about a horizontal axis such that the arm is shiftable vertically. A controller receives inputs corresponding to at least one vehicle parameter and is operatively coupled to an actuator for causing the arm to shift in response to changes in the vehicle parameter.

This disclosure relates to systems and methods of towing, hitching, and connecting devices. In particular, this disclosure relates to tow devices, hitches, and connections for towing item containers behind vehicles, both autonomous and manually guided.

Example apparatuses and techniques have been presented for towing tracked vehicles at high speeds without various deficiencies and for allowing a vehicle to be configured to extend supplemental wheels from a storage configuration into a ground support configuration in which the vehicle is able to make use of the supplemental wheels for additional ground support.

An automated guided vehicle includes a main frame (1) and a sub-frame (2); wherein, a driving wheel assembly (11) is mounted on the main frame (1), a driven wheel assembly (21) or a driving wheel (11) is mounted on the sub-frame (2), and the main frame (1) is hinged to the sub-frame (2).

A robotic system that includes a body, a hitch assembly coupled to the body, and a sensor array coupled to the body. The robotic system includes a processor and operating logic containing programming instructions thereon that, when executed, causes the processor to detect, via the sensor array, a location of a vehicle relative to the body. The programming instructions of the operating logic further cause the processor to detect, via the sensor array, a position of a hitch receiver along the vehicle and move the body toward the vehicle to position the hitch assembly proximate to the hitch receiver. The programming instructions of the operating logic further cause the processor to move the hitch assembly relative to the body and in alignment with the hitch receiver and engage the hitch assembly to the hitch receiver to securely couple the body to the vehicle.

A fifth wheel hitch assembly is provided that includes a mounting bracket adapted to support a fifth wheel hitch plate and having a substantially vertical surface, a vehicle frame rail having a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion; and a support bracket having a first portion secured to the substantially vertical portion of the vehicle frame rail and a second portion secured to the substantially vertical surface of the mounting bracket, and having a plurality of mounting positions spaced longitudinally along the support bracket from one another, wherein the mounting bracket is releasably secured to less than a total number of the mounting positions.

A transport dolly includes a base and a tongue rotatably mounted to the base. At least one support is mounted to the base. A first cable guide is coupled to the at least one support. A lever is rotatable between a first orientation and a second orientation. A cable has a first portion attached to the tongue. The cable extends from the tongue to the first cable guide, then to the lever. The lever pulls on the cable when the lever is rotated from the first orientation to the second orientation, so as to decrease a distance between the cable first portion and the first cable guide, thereby rotating the tongue from a lowered orientation to a raised orientation. A spring mechanism exerts a force on the lever to prevent rotation of the lever from the second orientation to the first orientation when the tongue is raised.

A mobile robotic device, a connector for connecting trailers in mobile robotic device and a method of controlling the device for yaw control and pitch control are provided. The connector includes: a first body; a second body connected to the first body and rotatable with respect to the first body about a first axis; a third body connected to the first body and rotatable with respect to the first body about a second axis; and a fourth body connected to the second body and rotatable with respect to the second body about a third axis, wherein the connector is switchable between a yaw control mode in which the second body is driven to rotate with respect to the first body in a horizontal plane and a pitch control mode in which the second body is driven to rotate with respect to the first body in a vertical plane.

A receiver-less hitch system has protrusion for hanging onto a vehicles brush guard and can pivot down to the vehicles winch. A hook is provided on the hitch system for connection to the end of the winch line and when retracted, tension on the winch line secures the hitch system to the vehicle. This quick and easy procedure provides a readily available front hitch system without the aid of a receiver or other mounting apparatus.

In one aspect, a method is disclosed for transporting an autonomous agricultural vehicle and an operator-driven agricultural vehicle from a first agricultural work site to a second agricultural work site. Each of the vehicles may have respective front ends and rear ends, and each of the respective rear ends may include a respective hitch. The method may include arranging the autonomous agricultural vehicle and the operator-driven agricultural vehicle such that the rear end of the autonomous agricultural vehicle faces the rear end of the operator-driven agricultural vehicle. The method may include coupling the hitch of the autonomous agricultural vehicle with the hitch of the operator-driven agricultural vehicle. The method may include towing the autonomous agricultural vehicle behind the operator-driven agricultural vehicle with the rear end of the autonomous agricultural vehicle facing a forward travel direction of the operator-driven agricultural vehicle.