A vehicle having a long track or wheel-trail wheel combination on one side and a smaller ground engaging member, such as a short track or wheel on the other. The vehicle has a work attachment on one end of its frame, which is provided clearance on the side of the vehicle with the short track or wheel. A control system is provided to allow an operator to properly control a direction of the vehicle despite the fact that different forces may be required to operate the long track and the short track or wheel.

A flexible in-ground shield includes a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, a plurality of shoring members, and a plurality of pivoting couplers. The first wall is disposed on a first side of the flexible in-ground shield, the second wall is disposed on a second side of the flexible in-ground shield, and the third wall is disposed on a third side of the flexible in-ground shield and coupled to the first and second walls. The plurality of shoring members extend between the first wall and the second wall, and the plurality of pivoting couplers, coupled to ends of the plurality of shoring members, respectively, allow the first wall and the second wall to pivot relative to the third wall.

An apparatus comprises an offset box housing, a rotating shaft, and an offset chain guide member. The offset box housing includes a top end, a bottom end, a first side, and a second side. The rotating shaft is disposed within the offset box housing, is proximate to the top end of the offset box housing, and includes a first end and a second end, the first end of the rotating shaft is proximate to the first side of the offset box housing. The second end is proximate to the second side of the offset box housing. The rotating shaft including a first sprocket coupled to the rotating shaft. The offset chain guide member guides a chain between the first sprocket and a second sprocket that is coupled to both the offset chain guide member and a trenching mechanism that is disposed offset with respect to a trencher.

An apparatus comprises an offset box housing, a rotating shaft, and an offset chain guide member. The offset box housing includes a top end, a bottom end, a first side, and a second side. The rotating shaft is disposed within the offset box housing, is proximate to the top end of the offset box housing, and includes a first end and a second end, the first end of the rotating shaft is proximate to the first side of the offset box housing. The second end is proximate to the second side of the offset box housing. The rotating shaft including a first sprocket coupled to the rotating shaft. The offset chain guide member guides a chain between the first sprocket and a second sprocket that is coupled to both the offset chain guide member and a trenching mechanism that is disposed offset with respect to a trencher.

A trencher includes a drive mechanism, a detachable digging box, and a digging support member. The detachable digging box receives power from an intermediate drive member transferring power from the drive mechanism to a trenching chain coupled to the detachable digging box. The drive mechanism and the detachable digging box are coupled to the intermediate drive member. The digging box support member includes a first end and a second end. The digging box support member is pivotably coupled to the detachable digging box at the first end of the digging box support member via a detachable coupler and pivotably coupled to a frame of the trencher at the second end of the digging box support member. The detachable digging box is detachable from the digging box support member via the detachable coupler without decoupling the intermediate drive member from the trencher.

A trencher includes a drive mechanism, a detachable digging box, and a digging support member. The detachable digging box receives power from an intermediate drive member transferring power from the drive mechanism to a trenching chain coupled to the detachable digging box. The drive mechanism and the detachable digging box are coupled to the intermediate drive member. The digging box support member includes a first end and a second end. The digging box support member is pivotably coupled to the detachable digging box at the first end of the digging box support member via a detachable coupler and pivotably coupled to a frame of the trencher at the second end of the digging box support member. The detachable digging box is detachable from the digging box support member via the detachable coupler without decoupling the intermediate drive member from the trencher.

A cruise control system for work machines. The system comprises one or more levers for controlling the velocity of the work machine and one or more magnet assemblies. The magnet assemblies comprise means of overcoming the neutral bias of a control lever so that the velocity of the work machine may be maintained without manual input from the operator. The magnets may act directly upon a control lever or a surface adjacent a control lever. Additional controls may be employed to set a maximum cruising speed for the work machine when cruise control is engaged.

A method of cutting a microtrench in which the buried utility is exposed by opening an access hole in a roadway above the buried utility using a roadway access hole drill that rotates and vibrates the drill bit. A roadway access hole drill having a down-the-hole jack-hammer drill bit and a motor to rotate the down-the-hole jack-hammer drill.

A system for uncovering a desired and pre-planned trench. A trenching machine is equipped with sensors, including visual imaging sensors. The sensors detect the inclination of the ground and movement of the trenching machine, as well as the angle of a trenching boom. Using this information, and a pre-determined preferred trench grade, a processor commands the trenching boom to adjust its angle to maintain the preferred trench grade. Surface irregularities may therefore be accounted for along the length of the trench to maintain a constant grade at the trench bottom.

A system for uncovering a desired and pre-planned trench. A trenching machine is equipped with sensors, including visual imaging sensors. The sensors detect the inclination of the ground and movement of the trenching machine, as well as the angle of a trenching boom. Using this information, and a pre-determined preferred trench grade, a processor commands the trenching boom to adjust its angle to maintain the preferred trench grade. Surface irregularities may therefore be accounted for along the length of the trench to maintain a constant grade at the trench bottom.