Automatically steerable trencher

A trencher for digging trenches in the earth comprising:

• a) a main frame;
• b) an arbor support frame mounted to the main frame;
• c) an arbor rotatably mounted to the arbor support frame;
• d) an arbor drive motor mounted to the arbor support frame and connected to drive the arbor;
• e) two rear wheels, each rotatably and co-axially mounted to the main frame, and wherein the arbor is between the rear wheels along their shared axis;
• and
• f) a front wheel mounted to a front wheel bracket having an upwardly extending shaft which is pivotally mounted to the main frame in front of and substantially in line with the arbor;
• g) a steering motor connected to the main frame above the front wheel and connected to the upwardly extending shaft of the front wheel bracket to selectively change the orientation of the front wheel relative to the main frame to steer the trencher;
• h) a drive motor mounted to the front wheel bracket and connected to drive the front wheel;
• and
• i) a control system for controlling the steering motor to steer the trencher, the drive motor to move the trencher and the arbor motor to turn the arbor.

A trencher for digging trenches in the earth comprising:

• a) a main frame;
• b) an arbor support frame mounted to the main frame;
• c) an arbor rotatably mounted to the arbor support frame;
• d) an arbor drive motor mounted to the arbor support frame and connected to drive the arbor;
• e) two rear wheels, each rotatably and co-axially mounted to the main frame, and wherein the arbor is between the rear wheels along their shared axis;
• and
• f) a front wheel mounted to a front wheel bracket which is pivotally mounted to the main frame in front of and substantially in line with the arbor;
• g) a steering motor connected to the main frame and the front wheel bracket to selectively change the orientation of the front wheel relative to the main frame to steer the trencher;
• h) a drive motor mounted to the front wheel bracket and connected to drive the front wheel;
• and
• i) a control system for controlling the steering motor to steer the trencher, the drive motor to move the trencher and the arbor motor to turn the arbor, the control system comprising:
• i) a positioning system to generate a signal representative of the position of the trencher;
• ii) an on-board portion for receiving and implementing instructions to adjust the arbor motor speed, drive motor direction and speed, and steering angle;
• and
• iii) a remote control portion having a computer programmable to receive and use the signal representative of the position of the trencher in a closed feedback loop to send instructions to the on-board portion to direct the trencher to dig a trench along a specific path.