A trailer and hitch system for a mobile robot. The trailer includes a
front Ackerman steering linkage, a releasable locking mechanism for
releasably positioning the Ackerman steering linkage in a turned position
to arrest the trailer, a tow bar extending upwardly from the Ackerman
steering linkage and terminating in a lunette ring, and spaced skid
members extending downwardly and rearwardly. The mobile robot includes a
hitch assembly for the lunette ring. The hitch assembly has a frame
including a slot for the lunette ring and a guide portion for guiding the
lunette ring into the slot, a latch pivotable with respect to the frame
and biased to close the slot, and a decoupling mechanism configured to
move the latch to release the lunette ring from the slot. A robot arm is
maneuverable to engage the decoupling mechanism.