A steer/brake system for a vehicle (with wheels and/or tracks) is disclosed. The system may comprise a steering system with an operator control and braking system for each side of the vehicle with a master cylinder for the brake mechanism and an interface between the braking system and the operator control. Operation may provide a phase where the interface is at least partially engaged and force may be applied through the interface to the master cylinder to engage the brake mechanism to provide modulation for the operator control. A steering emulation system may comprise the interface and a compliant element configured to provide modulation for the operator control. The system may comprise a shared hydraulic system; the brake mechanism may comprise the steering brake mechanism and the service brake mechanism.

A working machine includes a pair of traveling devices, a pair of traveling motors having a first speed and a second speed higher than the first speed, a pair of traveling pumps to supply operation fluid to the traveling motors, a connector fluid tube connecting the traveling motors and the traveling pumps, a traveling-pump pressure detector to detect a traveling-pump pressure that is pressure generated in the connector fluid tube, a revolving speed detector to detect a prime-mover revolving speed, a third storage to store a second decelerating judgment table representing a relation between the prime-mover revolving speed and a second decelerating judgment pressure, and a controller having: an automatic decelerator portion to perform an automatic deceleration process for reducing a speed of the traveling motor, and a differential pressure calculator portion to calculate a traveling differential pressure between one traveling pump pressure and another traveling pump pressure.

A hydraulic system for controlling a pair of steerable caster wheels includes a left side actuator and a right side actuator. A rear steering control valve is moveable between a first state for disabling direct control of the left and side actuators and a second state for enabling direct control the left and right side actuators to provide a steer response. A fluid connection continuously connects the pressure source and the fluidic tie rod fluid circuit in fluid communication when the rear steering control valve is disposed in one of the first state and the second state to continuously supply the pressurized fluid to the fluidic tie rod fluid circuit.

A hydraulic work machine is provided in which left and right hydraulic motors are driven independently of each other by two hydraulic pumps and in which an anomaly of any of the left and right track devices can be detected with high accuracy. The hydraulic work machine includes a first pressure sensor 13 configured to detect a first pump pressure that is a delivery pressure of a first hydraulic pump 11 and a second pressure sensor 23 configured to detect a second pump pressure that is a delivery pressure of a second hydraulic pump 21. When a controller 2 decides, from detection results of a travel operation detector 5 and work operation detectors 3 and 4, that a work implement 103 is not operated but travel operation devices 6 and 7 are operated and besides left and right track devices 50 and 60 are straightly traveling, the controller 2 calculates an anomaly decision evaluation value based on a pressure difference value obtained by subtracting one from the other of the first pump pressure and the second pump pressure and decides, based on a result of comparison between the anomaly decision evaluation value and a predetermined decision reference value 84, that one of the left and right track devices has an anomaly.

A hydraulic system for controlling at least one steerable caster wheel of an agricultural machine includes a first actuator having a piston and including an inboard fluid port for supplying fluid to a first side of the piston to move the piston in a first direction, and an outboard fluid port for supplying fluid to a second side of the piston to move the piston in a second direction. A first fluid pressure equalizer is fluidically coupled to the first side actuator and operable to equalize fluid pressure over a period of time between the first side and the second side of the piston of the first side actuator.

A hydraulic system for controlling a pair of steerable caster wheels includes a left steering command valve, a right steering command valve, and a rear steering control valve. A supply pressure fluid circuit interconnects a pressure source and the rear steering control valve. A command valve supply fluid circuit interconnects the rear steering control valve with both the right steering command valve and the left steering command valve. A left side steering fluid circuit interconnects a left side actuator and the left steering command valve. A right side steering fluid circuit interconnects a right side actuator and the right steering command valve. A fluidic tie rod fluid circuit interconnects both the left side actuator and the right side actuator with the rear steering control valve. A tank return fluid circuit interconnects the rear steering control valve, the left and right steering command valves, and a tank.

A hydraulic system for controlling a pair of steerable caster wheels of an agricultural machine includes a fluidic tie rod fluid circuit interconnecting both a left side actuator and a right side actuator with a rear steering control valve in fluid communication, and forming a fluid tie rod between the left side actuator and the right side actuator. A tie rod control valve is disposed in the fluidic tie rod fluid circuit and is controllable between a first position allowing fluid communication through the fluidic tie rod fluid circuit to communicate fluid between the left side actuator, the right side actuator, and the rear steering control valve and a second position blocking fluid communication to the rear steering control valve while connecting the left side actuator and the right side actuator in fluid communication to increase stiffness of the fluid tie rod therebetween.

A riding lawn care vehicle (10, 310) may include a frame (30, 330), an engine (340, 40), a steering assembly, a support platform (20, 30, 320) and a front platform (348, 48). At least a pair of drive wheels may be operably coupled to the frame (30, 330). The engine (340, 40) is operably coupled to the frame (30, 330) via an engine platform (342, 42). The engine (340, 40) is disposed substantially between the drive wheels to selectively provide drive power to the drive wheels via respective hydraulic pumps (346, 46). The steering assembly includes control levers (50) operably coupled to respective ones of the drive wheels via the respective hydraulic pumps (346, 46). The steering assembly enables steering of the riding lawn care vehicle (10, 310) based on drive speed control of the drive wheels responsive to positioning of the control levers (50). The support platform (20, 30, 320) is operably coupled to the frame (30, 330) at a rear portion of the riding lawn care vehicle (10, 310) to support a standing operator. The front platform (348, 48) is operably coupled to the frame (30, 330) forward of the engine platform (342, 42). The front platform (348, 48) supports the hydraulic pumps (346, 46).

A steerable track system usable with a vehicle that has a chassis, an axle frame extending laterally outwardly from the chassis and having an attachment portion at an end thereof to which the steerable track system is connectable, and a driven shaft extending laterally outwardly from the chassis suitable for driving the steerable track system. The steerable track system has a frame having a cavity defined therein and being operatively connectable to the axle frame so as to be pivotable about a steering axis for steering the track system, and a gear train with components disposed in the cavity. The gear train transmits driving forces from the driven shaft to a driven wheel assembly of a plurality of track-supporting wheel assemblies. An endless track extends around the track-supporting wheel assemblies and is drivable by the driven wheel assembly.

A hybrid hydro-mechanical/electronic steering system for a track vehicle, where the driver system can simultaneously use hydro-mechanical connections and electronic (steer by wire) connections to steer a track vehicle such as a tank, where safeguards for safety and reliability include seamless transition between electronic to hydro-mechanical control and vice versa, such that the system can be used in a single or double chassis track vehicle and is adaptable for autonomous driving.