Autonomous farm vehicle
An autonomous farm vehicle is provided. In a preferred embodiment the vehicle is a plow, which is capable of driving itself without input from an operator. The plow is significantly lighter in weight and smaller in size then a combined tractor and plow, and can be operated continuously. The vehicle, includes a chassis mounted on a plurality of wheels and a tool in the form of a plowing assembly mounted to the chassis and displaceable about the chassis between a first and a second position, such that in the first position the plowing assembly is operational while the vehicle is driven in a first direction. In the second position the plowing assembly is operational while the vehicle is driven in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction.
1. An autonomous farm vehicle comprising:
a chassis including a main body and a cross member extending from the main body, the chassis being mounted on a plurality of wheels that includes at least three wheels, and
a tool mounted to the cross member, wherein
the tool is mounted to the cross member to be displaceable over the cross member between a first and a second position such that, as viewed from directly above the cross member, the tool crosses the cross member during displacement between the first position and the second position, whereby in the first position the tool is operational while the vehicle is driven in a first direction, and in the second position the tool is operational while the vehicle is driven in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction, and
a pair of the at least three wheels is provided on the main body and at least one of the at least three wheels is provided on the cross member.
2. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 1 in which the tool, when operational, is oriented as a trailing link.
3. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 1 in which the tool comprises a reversible plow.
4. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 3 in which the reversible plow comprises a pair of moldboard plows mounted back to back and facing in the same operational direction.
5. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 4 in which the moldboard of both plows turns to the same side.
6. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 1 in which the chassis is configured such that a dimension of the chassis is variable.
7. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 1 in which the main body and cross member are arranged in a substantially T shaped configuration.
8. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 1 in which the cross member is telescopically adjustable in length.
9. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 1 in which the cross member is configured such that a position along the length of the main body at which the cross member extends from the main body is variable.
10. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 1 in which the tool is hingedly mounted to the chassis and is pivotable over the cross member between the first and second positions.
11. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 1 comprising a drive source operable to drive at least one of the at least three wheels of the vehicle, wherein the drive source is mounted on and displaceable relative to the chassis.
12. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 11 comprising a sub frame mounted on the chassis, on which sub frame the drive source is mounted, the sub frame being displaceable relative to the chassis.
13. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 11 comprising a control unit adapted to operate the drive source and a steering mechanism.
14. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 13 in which the control unit is operable to coordinate displacement of the drive source with displacement of the tool.
15. An autonomous farm vehicle comprising:
a chassis including a main body and a cross member extending from the main body, the chassis being mounted on a plurality of wheels, and
a tool mounted to the cross member, wherein
the tool is mounted to the cross member to be displaceable over the cross member between a first and a second position such that, as viewed from directly above the cross member, the tool crosses the cross member during displacement between the first position and the second position, whereby in the first position the tool is operational while the vehicle is driven in a first direction, and in the second position the tool is operational while the vehicle is driven in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction, and
the chassis is configured such that a dimension of the chassis is variable.
16. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 15 in which the cross member is telescopically adjustable in length.
17. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 15 in which the cross member is configured such that a position along the length of the main body at which the cross member extends from the main body is variable.
18. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 15 comprising a drive source operable to drive at least one of at least three wheels of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle, wherein the drive source is mounted on and displaceable relative to the chassis.
19. An autonomous farm vehicle comprising:
a chassis including a main body and a cross member extending from the main body, the chassis being mounted on a plurality of wheels, and
a tool mounted to the cross member, wherein
the tool is mounted to the cross member to be displaceable over the cross member between a first and a second position such that, as viewed from directly above the cross member, the tool crosses the cross member during displacement between the first position and the second position, whereby in the first position the tool is operational while the vehicle is driven in a first direction, and in the second position the tool is operational while the vehicle is driven in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction, and
the cross member is telescopically adjustable in length.
20. The autonomous farm vehicle according to claim 19 in which the cross member is configured such that a position along the length of the main body at which the cross member extends from the main body is variable.