The hydraulic drive powered endless track drive motorcycle is a track cycle comprising a front track assembly, a rear track assembly, a power plant, and a frame. The front and rear track assemblies use an endless track circulating around a driven sprocket, bogie sprockets, and idlers to distribute the weight of the vehicle and provide greater traction than a tire would provide. The track assemblies are driven by hydraulic motors that receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from a power plant mounted to the frame. The power plant comprises an internal combustion engine driving a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic expansion tank. A seat is mounted to the top of the frame. The front track assembly is steerable using handlebars and a suspension system pivotably mounted to the front of the frame.

Systems and methods for robotic inspection of above-ground pipelines are disclosed. Embodiments may include a robotic crawler having a plurality of motors that are individually controllable for improved positioning on the pipeline to facilitate image acquisition. Embodiments may also include mounting systems to house and carry imaging equipment configured to capture image data simultaneously from a plurality of angles. Such mounting systems may be adjustable to account for different sizes of pipes (e.g., 2-40+ inches), and may be configured to account for traversing various pipe support structures. Still further, mounting systems may include quick-release members to allow for removal and re-mounting of imaging equipment when traversing support structures. In other aspects, embodiments may be directed toward control systems for the robotic crawler which assist in the navigation and image capture capabilities of the crawler.

A track system includes an attachment assembly including at least one of a first pivot defining a roll pivot axis, a second pivot defining a pitch pivot axis, and a third pivot defining a yaw pivot axis of the track system. A frame assembly is disposed laterally outwardly from the attachment assembly and connected to the attachment assembly. The track system further includes at least one actuator for pivoting the frame assembly about at least one of the roll and yaw pivot axes, and at least one monitoring for determining, at least indirectly, at least one of a state of the track system and a ground surface condition. The at least one monitoring sensor is communicating with a track system controller to control the operation of the at least one actuator based on the at least one of the state of the track system and the ground surface condition.

A track system includes an attachment assembly, a frame assembly connected to the attachment assembly including at least one wheel-bearing frame member. The track system further has leading and trailing idler wheel assemblies at least indirectly connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, at least one support wheel assembly at least indirectly connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, an endless track extending around the leading idler wheel assembly, the trailing idler wheel assembly, and the at least one support wheel assembly. At least one monitoring sensor connected to the endless track and including an array of sensing devices communicates with a track system controller for determining, at least indirectly, at least one of a state of the track system and a ground surface condition.

A track system includes an attachment assembly, a frame assembly connected to the attachment assembly including at least one wheel-bearing frame member. The track system further has leading and trailing idler wheel assemblies at least indirectly connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, at least one support wheel assembly at least indirectly connected to the at least one wheel-bearing frame member, an endless track extending around the leading idler wheel assembly, the trailing idler wheel assembly, and the at least one support wheel assembly. At least one monitoring sensor connected to the endless track and including an array of sensing devices communicates with a track system controller for determining, at least indirectly, at least one of a state of the track system and a ground surface condition.

A slew drive includes a bushing interfacing with a drive gear. The bushing resists a load from the drive gear. The bushing includes an aluminum bronze alloy with a high strength. A paving machine includes multiple of the slew drives. The slew drives control an angle of a pivot arm and steering of a track. A method of reducing component failure in the paving machine includes determining an angular position error of the slew drive of the track. If the angular position exceeds a tolerance, a rate-of-change of the angular position is found to determine whether the slew drive is rotating. Where the slew drive is not rotating, the slew drive is driven in a reverse direction to unseize the slew drive. A track drive and the slew drive of the pivot are controlled by a control loop. The slew drive may be dithered to steer a trailing pivot.

A slew drive includes a bushing interfacing with a drive gear. The bushing resists a load from the drive gear. The bushing includes an aluminum bronze alloy with a high strength. A paving machine includes multiple of the slew drives. The slew drives control an angle of a pivot arm and steering of a track. A method of reducing component failure in the paving machine includes determining an angular position error of the slew drive of the track. If the angular position exceeds a tolerance, a rate-of-change of the angular position is found to determine whether the slew drive is rotating. Where the slew drive is not rotating, the slew drive is driven in a reverse direction to unseize the slew drive. A track drive and the slew drive of the pivot are controlled by a control loop. The slew drive may be dithered to steer a trailing pivot.

Track systems for traction of a vehicle in which a spacing of laterally-adjacent ones of the track systems in a widthwise direction of the vehicle is adjustable. This may facilitate use of the vehicle in different conditions (e.g., in different field configurations, such as in different configurations of row crops, where the vehicle is an agricultural vehicle). For instance, the spacing of the laterally-adjacent ones of the track systems may be adjustable while the laterally-adjacent ones of the track systems are connected to a power train of the vehicle and/or without requiring use of additional parts (e.g. spacers).

A giant gully-crossing vehicle for polar scientific expeditions, including a gully-crossing bridge and a vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a stage and a travelling portion. The stage includes a top platform, a front bottom plate, a rear bottom plate and a multifunctional lock platform assembly. The front bottom plate and the rear bottom plate are capable of sliding independently relative to the top platform. The travelling portion includes a first travelling component, a second travelling component, a third travelling component, a fourth travelling component, a fifth travelling component and a sixth travelling component which are symmetrically provided at left and right sides of the stage and below the stage. Bridge bodies of the bridge components can be assembled to two gully-crossing bridges, and are connected to the multifunctional lock platform assembly when crossing gullies.

A giant gully-crossing vehicle for polar scientific expeditions, including a gully-crossing bridge and a vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a stage and a travelling portion. The stage includes a top platform, a front bottom plate, a rear bottom plate and a multifunctional lock platform assembly. The front bottom plate and the rear bottom plate are capable of sliding independently relative to the top platform. The travelling portion includes a first travelling component, a second travelling component, a third travelling component, a fourth travelling component, a fifth travelling component and a sixth travelling component which are symmetrically provided at left and right sides of the stage and below the stage. Bridge bodies of the bridge components can be assembled to two gully-crossing bridges, and are connected to the multifunctional lock platform assembly when crossing gullies.