A trailer for towing by a power vehicle is provided and generally includes a frame and a tandem wheel assembly. The frame forms an undercarriage chassis which the tandem wheel assembly is positioned there under. The undercarriage chassis includes a steerable rear wheel assembly, a steerable front wheel assembly, and an extension assembly moving the front wheel assembly between trailing position and a self-propelled position where the rear wheel assembly and the front wheel assembly are positioned to equally support the undercarriage chassis.

An extendable axle with wheels on a common centerline preferably includes a base housing, a left axle device, a right axle device, a left extension cylinder and a right extension cylinder. The left axle device slides into a left side of the base housing and the right axle device slides into a right side of the base housing. The left axle device preferably includes a base tube, a steering knuckle, a drive motor and a steering cylinder. The steering knuckle is pivotally engaged with an end of the base tube. The drive motor is retained on the steering knuckle. The steering cylinder pivots the steering knuckle. The right axle device is the left axle device rotated 180 degrees. The left extension cylinder extends the left axle device. The right extension cylinder extends the right axle device. The left drive motor and the right drive motor are on the same centerline.

A robotic apparatus comprising first, second, and third wheel assemblies, and a clamping mechanism configured to apply a force for urging the second wheel and the third wheel to pivot in opposing directions towards a plane of the first wheel for securing the first wheel, the second wheel, and the third wheel to the pipe, each wheel assembly including an alignment mechanism for adjusting an orientation of the wheels to allow the robotic apparatus to move along a straight path or a helical path on the pipe. A method for navigating an obstacle on a pipe comprising advancing the robotic apparatus along a helical pathway on the pipe to position an open side of the robotic apparatus in longitudinal alignment with the obstacle, and advancing the robotic apparatus along a straight pathway on the pipe such that the obstacle passes unobstructed through the open side of the robotic apparatus.

A transport cart (3) and a transmission device thereof (32). The transmission device comprises: a crawling assembly (320), a rotary drive assembly and a crawling drive assembly. The crawling assembly comprises: a wheel frame (321), comprising a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the wheel frame extending from the first end to the second end; a driving wheel (322), mounted at the second end and having an axis perpendicular to the extending direction of the wheel frame; and a guide wheel (323), mounted at the second end and having an axis parallel to the extending direction of the wheel frame. The present transport cart provided with the described transmission device may move along both a horizontal rail and a vertical rail and may quickly switch between the horizontal rail and the vertical rail, thus improving the moving efficiency.

A tandem wheel assembly for a work vehicle includes a tandem wheel housing having a center opening disposed about a pivot axis and first and second wheel end openings disposed about associated first and second wheel axes that are substantially parallel with the pivot axis. A center sprocket within the tandem wheel housing is rotatable about the pivot axis. First and second wheel end assemblies include first and second wheel end shafts, sprockets and housings. The first and second wheel end sprockets are mounted to the associated shafts and are aligned to engage the center sprocket with at least one chain which transfers rotation of the center sprocket about the pivot axis to rotate the first and second wheel end sprockets about the associated first and second wheel axes. The first and second wheel end housings support the first and second wheel end shafts for relative rotation about the associated first and second wheel axes. The first wheel end housing is adjustably mounted to the tandem wheel housing to vary a first distance between the pivot axis and the first wheel axis.

A tandem wheel assembly for a work vehicle includes a tandem wheel housing having a center opening disposed about a pivot axis and first and second wheel end openings disposed about associated first and second wheel axes that are substantially parallel with the pivot axis. A center sprocket within the tandem wheel housing is rotatable about the pivot axis. First and second wheel end assemblies include first and second wheel end shafts, sprockets and housings. The first and second wheel end sprockets are mounted to the associated shafts and are aligned to engage the center sprocket with at least one chain which transfers rotation of the center sprocket about the pivot axis to rotate the first and second wheel end sprockets about the associated first and second wheel axes. The first and second wheel end housings support the first and second wheel end shafts for relative rotation about the associated first and second wheel axes. The first wheel end housing is adjustably mounted to the tandem wheel housing to vary a first distance between the pivot axis and the first wheel axis.

The disclosure provides an electric utility vehicle with detachable platform. The electric utility vehicle may include a load platform supported on a chassis including at least two electrically driven wheels. The detachable platform may be removeably coupled to the load platform. The detachable platform may include a central hub including a top surface. The detachable platform may include three legs coupled to the central hub, each leg including an actuator configured to extend the respective leg to a ground surface while the detachable platform is coupled to the load platform. The detachable platform may include a controller configured to coordinate the actuators to control an orientation of the top surface.

The disclosure provides an electric quad vehicle, a control system, and method of operation. The electric quad vehicle may include a central hub and four legs, each pivotably mounted to the central hub, each leg including an electric motor rotatably coupled to a wheel. Each leg may include a joint allowing the leg to bend to a retracted state with the wheel adjacent the central hub. The electric quad vehicle may include handle bars extending from the central hub including rider controls of acceleration and steering. The electric quad vehicle may include a control system configured to translate rider input to the rider controls into control signals for each of the electric motors.

An extendable axle with wheels on a common centerline preferably includes a base housing, a left axle device, a right axle device, a left extension cylinder and a right extension cylinder. The left axle device slides into a left side of the base housing and the right axle device slides into a right side of the base housing. The left axle device preferably includes a base tube, a steering knuckle, a drive motor and a steering cylinder. The steering knuckle is pivotally engaged with an end of the base tube. The drive motor is retained on the steering knuckle. The steering cylinder pivots the steering knuckle. The right axle device is the left axle device rotated 180 degrees. The left extension cylinder extends the left axle device. The right extension cylinder extends the right axle device. The left drive motor and the right drive motor are on the same centerline.

The present disclosure is directed to electric vehicles. A modular electric vehicle includes an electric vehicle chassis that includes an energy storage device, chassis control circuitry, and one or more communication interfaces disposed on an upper surface of the chassis. The chassis further includes an electric motor, suspension and drivetrain to provide an operating vehicle. An electric vehicle includes an internal combustion engine that drives an electric drive motor for charging a vehicle battery The vehicle may be driven solely by electric power, i.e., the internal combustion engine may provide no drive power to the axles of the vehicle and is used primarily for charging the battery. In some embodiments, electric motors may be coupled to one or both of the vehicle axles and the battery may be coupled to one or both the drive motors under control of a controller.