A method of controlling a hydraulic system having a hydraulic lift function and an auxiliary function includes disabling the hydraulic lift function and the auxiliary function by routing pump flow to tank and opening the lift function and auxiliary function to tank with a single valve; enabling the lift function by closing pump flow to the auxiliary function and routing pump flow to the lift function with the single valve; and enabling the auxiliary function by closing pump flow to the lift function and routing pump flow to the auxiliary function with the single valve.

A dual mode control system for a work vehicle includes a hydraulic system configured to drive a loader assembly and a dozer assembly coupled to the work vehicle. The hydraulic system includes a fluid delivery system comprising a plurality of flow paths fluidly coupled to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic system includes a valve assembly configured to regulate diversion of fluid into a first and a second hydraulic cylinders coupled to the fluid delivery system to adjust the loader assembly, or into a third cylinder coupled to the fluid delivery system to adjust the dozer assembly. The dual mode control system also includes a controller operably coupled to the valve assembly, and one or more user interfaces coupled to the controller to enable an operator to provide inputs to cause the controller to adjust the valve assembly, and to thereby adjust the loader assembly or the dozer assembly.

Apparatus and methods for metering fluid to a fluid actuator. An example apparatus may include a hydraulic actuator, a fluid chamber, and a hydraulic directional control valve. The fluid chamber may include a piston slidably movable between first and second ends of the fluid chamber and dividing the chamber into first and second chamber portions. The hydraulic directional control valve may direct a fluid from a fluid source into the first chamber portion to cause a volume of fluid to be discharged out of the second chamber portion into the hydraulic actuator to actuate the hydraulic actuator by a distance corresponding to the volume of fluid received by the hydraulic actuator.

A hydraulic apparatus for a construction equipment, such as an excavator, comprising a support structure connected or connectable to a movable arm of the construction equipment and a pair or rotating drums comprising a plurality of teeth, a pair of hydraulic motors, each arranged for the movement of a particular drum, and a rotating flow divider device. The flow divider device comprises at least one inlet for receiving a supply of operative fluid provided by the construction equipment and a pair of outlets which provide the operative fluid, which is suitably divided, to the pair of hydraulic motors.

Described herein is a flow divider that has two chambers defined by two diaphragms and a spool disposed through the diaphragms. The spool has two tapered nozzles that extend into outlets from each chamber. Within the spool are orifices for providing fluid communication from an inlet to each chamber and dividing the flow. The flow divider generally maintains consistent flow to each outlet even when there is downstream backpressure by being able to move away from the outlet with the increased pressure to further drive the opposite nozzle into the other outlet to reduce the flow at the other outlet to balance the pressure at each outlet.

A hydraulic system for a work machine comprising a priority circuit including at least a first priority actuator and a priority control valve for controlling the supply of hydraulic fluid to the first priority actuator and for providing a load sense signal indicative of the load acting on the first priority actuator; an auxiliary circuit including at least a first auxiliary actuator and at least a first auxiliary control valve for controlling the supply of hydraulic fluid to the first auxiliary actuator; at least a first pump for producing a flow of hydraulic fluid; and a priority valve for distributing the flow from the pump to the priority circuit and auxiliary circuit for operating the respective actuators thereof, with priority being given to the priority circuit as a function of the load sense signal.

A vehicle includes a hydraulic actuator configured to move an implement relative to the chassis, a hydraulic motor configured to propel the vehicle, a drive pump fluidly coupled to the hydraulic motor, a charge pump configured to provide a flow of pressurized fluid, and a valve assembly fluidly coupled to the charge pump. The valve assembly is configured to (a) direct a first portion of the flow of pressurized fluid to the drive pump, the first portion of the flow having a first flow rate and (b) direct a second portion of the flow of pressurized fluid to the hydraulic actuator, the second portion of the flow having a second flow rate. The valve assembly includes a valve element that is configured to vary at least one of the first flow rate or the second flow rate based on a pressure at a position upstream of the valve element.

A method for grouping hydraulic functions associated with an agricultural implement includes accessing parameter data associated with hydraulic fluid used to drive a plurality of hydraulic functions of the implement, the hydraulic fluid being supplied from one of at least two pumps. The method also includes determining delivery pump pressures for the pumps for each of a plurality of different pump/function combinations based at least in part on the hydraulic parameter data and determining a power parameter requirement for the pumps for each of the different pump/function combinations based at least in part on the delivery pump pressures. In addition, the method includes selecting a desired pump/function combination based at least in part on the power parameter requirement; and controlling an operation of a plurality of switching valves such that the hydraulic fluid is supplied for driving the hydraulic functions in accordance with the desired pump/function combination.

A hydraulic rotary manifold has a core manifold having a barrel and a rotatable spindle inserted in the barrel. The core manifold is common to a variety of different configurations involving removable spindle-mounted and barrel-mounted manifolds, which may be removably mounted on the core manifold and exchanged for other removable manifolds to provide different hydraulic fluid flow paths in the rotary manifold using the common core manifold. The rotary manifold permits retrofitting a secondary fluid flow path to use a secondary fluid in conjunction with a work tool mounted on the rotary manifold. The rotary manifold permits mounting a rotary position encoder on a barrel-side of the rotary manifold permitting the use of the common core manifold when a rotary position encoder is desired. Electronically actuated cartridge valves may be integrated into the core manifold and/or removable manifolds to provide further customization of the hydraulic fluid flow paths in the rotary manifold and/or to provide cross-over relief paths within the rotary manifold itself.

A hydraulic device having: a housing; a bore of the housing having a first piston positioned therein for a first reciprocal motion within the bore along a bore axis; a mechanical element coupled to the first piston for either driving the first reciprocal motion or being driven by the first reciprocal motion; a second piston positioned in the bore for a second reciprocal motion within the bore along the bore axis; a hydraulic fluid chamber of the bore positioned between the first piston and the second piston, the hydraulic fluid chamber having a hydraulic fluid inlet and a hydraulic fluid outlet; a chamber of the bore positioned between the second piston and a wall of the housing, the chamber for having a resilient element therein; a separator partition dividing the hydraulic fluid chamber into a first hydraulic fluid chamber and a second hydraulic fluid chamber, the separator partition positioned in the bore between the hydraulic fluid inlet and the second piston, the separator partition having a first fluid passageway for fluidly coupling the first hydraulic fluid chamber with the second hydraulic fluid chamber; and a valve for controlling flow in the first fluid passageway of hydraulic fluid between the first hydraulic fluid chamber and the second hydraulic fluid chamber.