The invention provides an unloading system which can be arranged to move a bin or box a distance away from metering equipment of an agricultural machine, such as a dry pneumatic applicator, to allow access to bottom oriented-gates of the bin and retractable chutes for directing particulate material out of the bin and away from the machine. In one aspect, the bin can be lifted or vertically raised by one or more cylinders to allow access to the bottom gates and allow gravity to empty the material from the box, through the bottom gates, down one or more chutes directed to a particular area. One or more hoppers of the bin, typically 1 to 4, can each have a bottom positioned slide gate or door that can be operated to expose a chute for emptying the material out of the box.

The invention provides an unloading system which can be arranged to move a bin or box a distance away from metering equipment of an agricultural machine, such as a dry pneumatic applicator, to allow access to bottom oriented-gates of the bin and retractable chutes for directing particulate material out of the bin and away from the machine. In one aspect, the bin can be lifted or vertically raised by one or more cylinders to allow access to the bottom gates and allow gravity to empty the material from the box, through the bottom gates, down one or more chutes directed to a particular area. One or more hoppers of the bin, typically 1 to 4, can each have a bottom positioned slide gate or door that can be operated to expose a chute for emptying the material out of the box.

An autonomous workhorse vehicle includes a main body including a platform to support a plurality of objects, a tracking sensor to detect a location of the main body relative to a leading vehicle, and an input/output port to receive an identifier of the leading vehicle. The autonomous workhorse vehicle further includes a power source to provide power to propel the main body, a steering actuator designed to adjust an orientation of the main body, and an ECU. The ECU is designed to receive the identifier of the leading vehicle. The ECU is further designed to determine a following time to begin following the leading vehicle. The ECU is further designed to control the power source and the steering actuator to move the main body to follow the leading vehicle at the following time based on the detected location of the main body relative to the leading vehicle.

An autonomous workhorse vehicle includes a main body including a platform to support a plurality of objects, a tracking sensor to detect a location of the main body relative to a leading vehicle, and an input/output port to receive an identifier of the leading vehicle. The autonomous workhorse vehicle further includes a power source to provide power to propel the main body, a steering actuator designed to adjust an orientation of the main body, and an ECU. The ECU is designed to receive the identifier of the leading vehicle. The ECU is further designed to determine a following time to begin following the leading vehicle. The ECU is further designed to control the power source and the steering actuator to move the main body to follow the leading vehicle at the following time based on the detected location of the main body relative to the leading vehicle.

Methods are described that perform a dispatched consumer-to-store return or swap logistics operation for an item being replaced using a modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly and a dispatch server. The method begins with receiving a return operation dispatch command that includes identifier information, transport parameters, and designated pickup information for the item being replaced/returned, along with authentication information related to an authorized supplier of the item being replaced. Modular components of the bot apparatus are verified to be compatible with the dispatched logistics operation. The MAM then autonomously causes the bot apparatus to move to the designated pickup location, notifies the authorized supplier of an approaching pickup, receives supplier authorization input to permissively allow access to a payload area within the bot apparatus, monitors loading as the item being replaced is received along with return documentation, and then autonomously causes movement of the bot apparatus back to the origin location.

Methods are described that perform a dispatched consumer-to-store return or swap logistics operation for an item being replaced using a modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly and a dispatch server. The method begins with receiving a return operation dispatch command that includes identifier information, transport parameters, and designated pickup information for the item being replaced/returned, along with authentication information related to an authorized supplier of the item being replaced. Modular components of the bot apparatus are verified to be compatible with the dispatched logistics operation. The MAM then autonomously causes the bot apparatus to move to the designated pickup location, notifies the authorized supplier of an approaching pickup, receives supplier authorization input to permissively allow access to a payload area within the bot apparatus, monitors loading as the item being replaced is received along with return documentation, and then autonomously causes movement of the bot apparatus back to the origin location.

A system for loading/unloading solid materials from an open top rail car is described. The system may comprise suitable safety features, structural reinforcement and loading features to permit operation of the system by a single operator in a safe manner. In some examples, the system comprises a crawler excavator reversibly coupled to a sled attachment to permit movement of the crawler excavator along a top surface of an open top rail car.

A system for loading/unloading solid materials from an open top rail car is described. The system may comprise suitable safety features, structural reinforcement and loading features to permit operation of the system by a single operator in a safe manner. In some examples, the system comprises a crawler excavator reversibly coupled to a sled attachment to permit movement of the crawler excavator along a top surface of an open top rail car.

A system and method are provided for automated cleaning of a loading container of a transport vehicle (e.g., dump truck, ejector, scraper), wherein the loading container includes controllable elements (e.g., hydraulic lift cylinders for a truck bin, an ejector blade) for transitioning between loaded and unloaded states. Characteristics of carryback material remaining in the loading container are estimated during a detected unloaded state of the transport vehicle, wherein whether to initiate an automated cleaning stage is determined based on at least one of the estimated characteristics. Upon determining to initiate the automated cleaning stage, performance of a cleaning routine is automatically directed during or in association with an unloading stage for the loading container via the controllable elements. The elements are controlled during the cleaning routine in accordance with a severity level selected from among various progressively increasing severity levels based on at least one of the estimated characteristics.

A system and method are provided for automated cleaning of a loading container of a transport vehicle (e.g., dump truck, ejector, scraper), wherein the loading container includes controllable elements (e.g., hydraulic lift cylinders for a truck bin, an ejector blade) for transitioning between loaded and unloaded states. Characteristics of carryback material remaining in the loading container are estimated during a detected unloaded state of the transport vehicle, wherein whether to initiate an automated cleaning stage is determined based on at least one of the estimated characteristics. Upon determining to initiate the automated cleaning stage, performance of a cleaning routine is automatically directed during or in association with an unloading stage for the loading container via the controllable elements. The elements are controlled during the cleaning routine in accordance with a severity level selected from among various progressively increasing severity levels based on at least one of the estimated characteristics.