A robot comprises an auger-based drive system, a memory, and a processor coupled with the memory and configured to control movement of the robot, via the auger-based drive system, relative to grain in a grain bin. The processor is further configured to direct traversal, by the robot, of a landing zone portion of a surface of a pile of the grain during load-in of the grain to disperse broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion. The landing zone portion is located in a center of the grain bin where the grain lands as it is augured into the grain bin during load-in. The dispersal is affected in part by rotation of augers of the auger-based drive system.

A robot comprises an auger-based drive system, a memory, and a processor coupled with the memory and configured to control movement of the robot, via the auger-based drive system, relative to grain in a flat storage bulk store. The processor is further configured to direct traversal, by the robot, of a portion of a pile of the grain in the flat storage bulk store. The traversal is performed to incite sediment gravity flow in the portion of pile of grain system to walk-down the grain in the portion. The sediment gravity flow is incited by disruption of viscosity of the portion of the pile of grain through agitation of the portion of the pile of grain by auger rotation of the auger-based drive.

The present disclosure relates to methods and a vehicle for enhancing the mechanical dewatering of a slurry. In one aspect, the disclosure concerns a method for enhanced dewatering of a settling pond with a mechanical dewatering vehicle including: measuring one or more properties of a slurry to be deposited in the settling pond; determining a buoyancy profile for the vehicle, based on the one or more properties measured and one or more properties of the vehicle, such that the vehicle is neutrally buoyant in the slurry when deposited in the settling pond; and determining an optimal slurry depth for the slurry to be deposited in the settling pond such that the vehicle is able to maintain substantially shear-free traction as the vehicle traverses the slurry.

The present disclosure relates to methods and a vehicle for enhancing the mechanical dewatering of a slurry. In one aspect, the disclosure concerns a method for enhanced dewatering of a settling pond with a mechanical dewatering vehicle including: measuring one or more properties of a slurry to be deposited in the settling pond; determining a buoyancy profile for the vehicle, based on the one or more properties measured and one or more properties of the vehicle, such that the vehicle is neutrally buoyant in the slurry when deposited in the settling pond; and determining an optimal slurry depth for the slurry to be deposited in the settling pond such that the vehicle is able to maintain substantially shear-free traction as the vehicle traverses the slurry.

A traveling body is equipped with a traveling portion provided on a lower side of a main body portion. The traveling portion has middle wheels that are spaced apart from a rising axis extending in a width direction by a fixed distance, front links that space front wheels and the rising axis apart from each other respectively by a fixed distance, rear links that space rear wheels and the rising axis apart from each other respectively by a fixed distance, and a fixed frame that rises/falls as the rising axis rises/falls and that supports the main body portion. The front links and the rear links are coupled in such a manner as to be able to rock with respect to each other respectively around the rising axis. A controller lifts the main body portion and the middle wheels by rocking the front links and the rear links each other.

A traveling body is equipped with a traveling portion provided on a lower side of a main body portion. The traveling portion has middle wheels that are spaced apart from a rising axis extending in a width direction by a fixed distance, front links that space front wheels and the rising axis apart from each other respectively by a fixed distance, rear links that space rear wheels and the rising axis apart from each other respectively by a fixed distance, and a fixed frame that rises/falls as the rising axis rises/falls and that supports the main body portion. The front links and the rear links are coupled in such a manner as to be able to rock with respect to each other respectively around the rising axis. A controller lifts the main body portion and the middle wheels by rocking the front links and the rear links each other.

An unmanned vehicle capable of tunneling into soft materials, such as sand, comprises a hollow, bullet-shaped forward outer body with a first drive screw thread integrated into its exterior, a hollow cylindrical rear outer body with a second drive screw thread integrated into its exterior but threaded in the opposed direction of the first drive screw thread, and an inner body that is rotatably coupled to the inside of the forward and rear outer bodies via mechanical gears, and including directional control fins mounted on a housing at the rear end of the inner body.

Spiral drive mechanism, particularly for mechanical vehicles, land and water machines, comprises of deformable spiral (1) of spindle shape, on one side resting on a rocker arm (2) with bearing, attached to the vehicle through a moving joint, through an axle (3) that moves the front part of the spiral in vertical, longitudinal and transverse axis. On the other side, it rests on a pendulum-moving driving axle of the vehicle (4), propelling rotating motion of the spiral and thus causing movement of the vehicle.

Spiral drive mechanism, particularly for mechanical vehicles, land and water machines, comprises of deformable spiral (1) of spindle shape, on one side resting on a rocker arm (2) with bearing, attached to the vehicle through a moving joint, through an axle (3) that moves the front part of the spiral in vertical, longitudinal and transverse axis. On the other side, it rests on a pendulum-moving driving axle of the vehicle (4), propelling rotating motion of the spiral and thus causing movement of the vehicle.

The present disclosure provides a soft ground cleaning vehicle, including a main body frame; wherein each of both sides of the main body frame is arranged with a screw propulsion mechanism, and a lower portion of each of the both sides of the main body frame is arranged with a bottom frame; a power assembly is arranged on the bottom frame, and an extension frame is arranged on a lower portion of the bottom frame; the extension frame is arranged with a rotation assembly; a plastic track is arranged on the power assembly and the rotation assembly; a plurality of stand plates are arranged on an outer strip surface of the plastic track.