A prime mover and a plurality of hydraulic actuators, a hydraulic machine having a rotatable shaft in driven engagement with the prime mover and comprising a plurality of working chambers, a hydraulic circuit extending between a group of one or more working chambers of the hydraulic machine and one or more of the hydraulic actuators, each working chamber of the hydraulic machine comprising a low-pressure valve which regulates the flow of hydraulic fluid between the working chamber and a low-pressure manifold and a high-pressure valve which regulates the flow of hydraulic fluid between the working chamber and a high-pressure manifold. The hydraulic machine being configured to actively control at least the low-pressure valves of the group of one or more working chambers to select the net displacement of hydraulic fluid by each working chamber on each cycle of working chamber volume, and thereby the net displacement of hydraulic fluid by the group of one or more working chambers, responsive to a demand signal, wherein the apparatus further comprises a controller configured to calculate the demand signal in response to a measured property of the hydraulic circuit or one or more actuators.

A prime mover and hydraulic actuators, a hydraulic machine having a rotatable shaft engaged with the prime mover and having a plurality of working chambers, a hydraulic circuit extending between a group of working chambers of the hydraulic machine and the hydraulic actuators, each working chamber of the hydraulic machine having a low-pressure and a high-pressure valve regulating the flow of hydraulic fluid between the working chamber and a corresponding low-pressure manifold and a high-pressure manifold. The hydraulic machine controlling the low-pressure valves of the group of working chambers to select the net displacement of hydraulic fluid by each working chamber on each cycle of working chamber volume, and thereby the net displacement of hydraulic fluid by the group of working chambers, responsive to a demand signal, the apparatus further having a controller calculating the demand signal responsive to a measured property of the hydraulic circuit or an actuator.

A hydraulic pump (6) comprising: a housing (20) having first and second inlets (100a, 100b) and first and second outlets (102a, 102b); a crankshaft (4) extending within the housing (20) and having axially offset first and second cams (62, 64); first and second groups (30, 32) of piston cylinder assemblies provided in the housing (20), each of the said groups (30, 32) having a plurality of piston cylinder assemblies having a working chamber of cyclically varying volume and being in driving relationship with the crankshaft (4); one or more electronically controllable valves (40) associated with the first and second groups (30, 32); and a controller (70) configured to actively control the opening and/or closing of the said electronically controllable valves (40) on each cycle of working chamber volume to thereby control the net displacement of fluid by the first and second groups (30, 32), wherein at least the first group (30) comprises a first piston cylinder assembly in driving relationship with the first cam (62) and a second piston cylinder assembly in driving relationship with the second cam (64), and wherein the first group is configured to receive working fluid from the first inlet (100a) and to output working fluid to the first outlet (102a) and the second group is configured to receive working fluid from the second inlet (100b) and to output working fluid to the second outlet (102b).

A hydraulic pump (6) comprising: a housing (20) having first and second inlets (100a, 100b) and first and second outlets (102a, 102b); a crankshaft (4) extending within the housing (20) and having axially offset first and second cams (62, 64); first and second groups (30, 32) of piston cylinder assemblies provided in the housing (20), each of the said groups (30, 32) having a plurality of piston cylinder assemblies having a working chamber of cyclically varying volume and being in driving relationship with the crankshaft (4); one or more electronically controllable valves (40) associated with the first and second groups (30, 32); and a controller (70) configured to actively control the opening and/or closing of the said electronically controllable valves (40) on each cycle of working chamber volume to thereby control the net displacement of fluid by the first and second groups (30, 32), wherein at least the first group (30) comprises a first piston cylinder assembly in driving relationship with the first cam (62) and a second piston cylinder assembly in driving relationship with the second cam (64), and wherein the first group is configured to receive working fluid from the first inlet (100a) and to output working fluid to the first outlet (102a) and the second group is configured to receive working fluid from the second inlet (100b) and to output working fluid to the second outlet (102b).

A device for hydraulically operating a drive wheel of a wellbore tractor has, in certain embodiments, at least one cam and a rotatable assembly arranged to be rotatable with respect to the cam about an axis of rotation. The rotatable assembly has at least one piston. The device also has a chamber and at least one supply port for supplying hydraulic fluid from the chamber to the piston for energizing the piston, the supply port being arranged to be moved between first and second positions relative to the cam. In the first position, the piston can connect to the supply port and be energized to impart force against the cam for producing forward rotation of the assembly. In the second position, the piston can connect to the supply port and be energized to impart force against the cam for producing reverse rotation of the assembly. Related distributor assembly, wellbore tractor, and method are also described.

A device for hydraulically operating a drive wheel of a wellbore tractor has, in certain embodiments, at least one cam and a rotatable assembly arranged to be rotatable with respect to the cam about an axis of rotation. The rotatable assembly has at least one piston. The device also has a chamber and at least one supply port for supplying hydraulic fluid from the chamber to the piston for energizing the piston, the supply port being arranged to be moved between first and second positions relative to the cam. In the first position, the piston can connect to the supply port and be energized to impart force against the cam for producing forward rotation of the assembly. In the second position, the piston can connect to the supply port and be energized to impart force against the cam for producing reverse rotation of the assembly. Related distributor assembly, wellbore tractor, and method are also described.

A variable flow hydraulic device having a plurality of cylinders for varying a flow of hydraulic fluid between a reservoir and a load, the device comprising: a housing having the plurality of cylinders with a plurality of corresponding pistons; an input port of the housing fluidly connected to each cylinder of the plurality of cylinders, the input port facilitating introduction of the hydraulic fluid to said each cylinder; a first output port of the housing connected to said each cylinder, the first output port facilitating the ejection of the hydraulic fluid from said each cylinder, the first output port configured for fluidly coupling said each cylinder to the load; a respective flow control valve for said each cylinder, and a fluid pressure sensing device coupled between downstream of the first output port and said respective flow control valve.

A device for hydraulically operating a drive wheel of a wellbore tractor has, in certain embodiments, at least one cam and a rotatable assembly arranged to be rotatable with respect to the cam about an axis of rotation. The rotatable assembly has at least one piston. The device also has a chamber and at least one supply port for supplying hydraulic fluid from the chamber to the piston for energizing the piston, the supply port being arranged to be moved between first and second positions relative to the cam. In the first position, the piston can connect to the supply port and be energized to impart force against the cam for producing forward rotation of the assembly. In the second position, the piston can connect to the supply port and be energized to impart force against the cam for producing reverse rotation of the assembly. Related distributor assembly, wellbore tractor, and method are also described.

A device for hydraulically operating a drive wheel of a wellbore tractor has, in certain embodiments, at least one cam and a rotatable assembly arranged to be rotatable with respect to the cam about an axis of rotation. The rotatable assembly has at least one piston. The device also has a chamber and at least one supply port for supplying hydraulic fluid from the chamber to the piston for energizing the piston, the supply port being arranged to be moved between first and second positions relative to the cam. In the first position, the piston can connect to the supply port and be energized to impart force against the cam for producing forward rotation of the assembly. In the second position, the piston can connect to the supply port and be energized to impart force against the cam for producing reverse rotation of the assembly. Related distributor assembly, wellbore tractor, and method are also described.

A prime mover and a plurality of hydraulic actuators, a hydraulic machine having a rotatable shaft in driven engagement with the prime mover and comprising a plurality of working chambers, a hydraulic circuit extending between working chambers of the hydraulic machine and the hydraulic actuators, each working chamber of the hydraulic machine comprising a low-pressure valve which regulates the flow of hydraulic fluid between the working chamber and a low-pressure manifold and a high-pressure valve which regulates the flow of hydraulic fluid between the working chamber and a high-pressure manifold. The hydraulic machine being configured to actively control at least the low-pressure valves of the working chambers to select the net displacement of hydraulic fluid by each working chamber on each cycle of working chamber volume, and thereby the net displacement of hydraulic fluid by the working chambers, responsive to a demand signal.