A heavy haul vehicle has a chassis capable of supporting a load to be transported by the vehicle. A first group of one or more first drive axles and a second group of one or more second drive axles are coupled to the chassis. The vehicle also has a first engine and a second engine. The first engine drives each axle in the first group of drive axles. The second engine drives each axle in the second group drive axles.

A mobile work system and methods for operationally receiving a work performing and/or energy delivering attachment. A work platform is powered by a power output device and includes a source of electricity for powering the attachment. The platform has a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end. A first attachment interface is connected to the first end, and a second attachment interface, substantially operationally equivalent to the first attachment interface, is connected to the second end. The first end of the platform also includes a first steering mechanism, and the second end includes a second steering mechanism substantially operationally equivalent to the first steering mechanism, whereby the platform is configured to be propelled and steered in a first direction and propelled and steered in a second direction generally opposite the first direction by the first and second steering mechanisms, respectively.

Vehicles may be composed of a relatively few number of “modules” that are assembled together during a final assembly process. An example vehicle may include a body module, a first drive module coupled to a first end of the body module, and a second drive module coupled to a second end of the body module. One or both of the drive modules may include a pair of wheels, a battery, an electric drive motor, and/or a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. One or both of the drive modules may also include a crash structure to absorb impacts. If a component of a drive module fails or is damaged, the drive module can be quickly and easily replaced with a new drive module, minimizing vehicle down time.

A work vehicle including an articulated vehicle chassis having a front frame portion and a rear frame portion pivotally coupled together at a generally vertical pivot axis. The front frame portion carries a front axle and the rear frame portion carries a rear axle. A steering system includes at least one steering cylinder connected between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion. A power plant provides motive power to the work vehicle, and a transmission receives power from the power plant and provides power to the front axle and rear axle. The work vehicle further includes a secondary clutch interconnected between the transmission and the rear axle. The steering system is configured to disengage the secondary clutch to provide reactive steering, whereby the front frame portion tows the rear frame portion. The rear frame portion freely articulates relative to the front frame portion.

In a riding work vehicle, power of an engine is transmitted to a traveling wheel via a horizontally oriented transmission shaft and a vertically oriented transmission shaft. The traveling wheel is supported to be changeable in direction about a rotational axis of the vertically oriented transmission shaft. Each of the vertically oriented transmission shaft and a vertically oriented transmission case is provided as an inner/outer double structure expandable/contractible in association with sliding movement thereof. The vertically oriented transmission case is supported to be pivotable together with the traveling wheel. There is provided a vehicle height adjustment mechanism capable of switching, in a plurality of steps, a relative height of the traveling wheel relative to a vehicle body frame.

A machine configuration system which can realize different works by work machines, industrial machines, agricultural machines, military vehicles, remotely-controlled autonomous, etc. machines, by means of components and equipments having capability of fixation to various locations of the main chassis and main chassis with palette or single type, four-wheel drive and platform with rotation through four wheels.

An alternative traction control system, in addition to a primary traction control system, is associated with an agricultural machine in which a user selectable input can allow wheels of an the agricultural machine to spin freely, such as for clearing debris from tires, until a predetermined deactivate condition occurs. Such a deactivate condition could comprise, for example, reaching a maximum rotation speed and/or temperature threshold with respect to a wheel. To minimize the risk of damage to propulsion components which may be caused by excessive rotation speeds and/or temperatures, upon reaching such a threshold, operation can return from the alternative traction control system to the primary traction control system. Such a system can therefore allow an on the fly change that would permit an operator to selectively spin the tires without damaging mechanical aspects of the agricultural machine.

A modular robotic vehicle (MRV) having a modular chassis configured for a vehicle utilizing two-wheel steering, four-wheel steering, six-wheel steering, eight-wheel steering controlled by a semiautonomous system or an autonomous driving system, either system is associated with operating modes which may include a two-wheel steering mode, an all-wheel steering mode, a traverse steering mode, a park mode, or an omni-directional mode utilized for steering sideways, driving diagonally or move crab like. Accordingly, during semiautonomous control a driver of the modular robotic vehicle may utilize smart I/O devices including a smartphone, tablet like devices, or a control panel to select a preferred driving mode. The driver may communicate navigation instructions via smart I/O devices to control steering, speed and placement of the MRV in respect to the operating mode. Accordingly, GPS and a wireless network provides navigation instructions during an autonomous operation involving driving, parking, docking or connecting to another MRV.

An electric wheel drive system, an electric generator, a hybrid internal combustion electric vehicle, and associated methods are described that include sleeve bearings rotating on support cylinders. Fluid pumps provide lubrication and cooling. Examples include hydraulic cylinders for steering one or more electric wheel drive systems independently. Suspension is also provided to individual electric wheel drive systems independently in some examples.

A heavy haul vehicle has a chassis capable of supporting a load to be transported by the vehicle. A first group of one or more first drive axles and a second group of one or more second drive axles are coupled to the chassis. The vehicle also has a first engine and a second engine. The first engine drives each axle in the first group of drive axles. The second engine drives each axle in the second group drive axles.