A multi piston machine includes a rotor, pistons, a first control valve, and a second control valve. The pistons abut against a cam surface with multiple lobes. The machine is switchable between at least three non-zero displacement volumes using the first and the second control valves. The first control valve is connected to a first and a third fluid chamber. The second control valve is connected to a second and a fourth fluid chamber. The first and the second control valve are connected to first and the second working port respectively. A third number of second control openings is twice a second number of the lobes. There is a first and a second group of the second control openings. Adjacent second control openings belong to a different first or second group. The second control openings of the first group are either connected to the first or the second fluid chamber.

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 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.

The device comprises an internal distributor to be disposed in a casing portion (10A), and comprising a body (15) that has an outside axial face (15B) provided with two grooves (17, 19) respectively for feed and for discharge. The distributor has distribution ducts (23A, 23B, 23C) that open out in a distribution radial face and a cylinder capacity selector that comprises a slide (50) suitable for being moved in an axial bore (53) for connecting the distribution ducts to one or the other of the grooves. The device further comprises a control chamber (52) provided between a first end wall (15′) of the bore and the first end (50A) of the slide, and an opposing spring (55) disposed in a return chamber (52′) situated at the second end (53″) of the bore and closed, at the end closer to the distribution face (15A), by a second end wall (55′) of the distributor.

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 hydraulic transmission circuit is provided having at least two elementary hydraulic motors, each having a secondary enclosure and a main duct for fluid feed and a secondary enclosure and a main duct for fluid discharge. A fluid distributor distributes fluid from the main ducts to the elementary motors via the secondary enclosures. A control system controls the elementary motors. Valves connecting the fluid distributor to the secondary enclosures of the first motor put a secondary enclosure into communication with a main duct independent of an operating mode of any other elementary motor.

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 radial piston hydraulic motor comprising a box frame with a cam ring connected thereto, pistons in a piston frame and press rollers in the pistons, which press rollers can be pressed by means of the pressure of a hydraulic fluid, such as hydraulic oil, against an inner surface of the cam ring. The piston frame comprises connections between the interior space and passages, and a shutter valve is provided within each connection for controlling the hydraulic fluid flow through the connection between the passages and the interior space. The shutter valve is arranged to allow hydraulic fluid to flow from the passage into the interior space, when the pressure in the working pressure inlet passage, in the return passage and in the interior space is equal, i.e. the motor is in free-rotating state.

A radial piston hydraulic motor comprising a box frame with a cam ring connected thereto, pistons in a piston frame and press rollers in the pistons, which press rollers can be pressed by means of the pressure of a hydraulic fluid, such as hydraulic oil, against an inner surface of the cam ring. The piston frame comprises connections between the interior space and passages, and a shutter valve is provided within each connection for controlling the hydraulic fluid flow through the connection between the passages and the interior space. The shutter valve is arranged to allow hydraulic fluid to flow from the passage into the interior space, when the pressure in the working pressure inlet passage, in the return passage and in the interior space is equal, i.e. the motor is in free-rotating state.

An object is displaced alternately in opposite directions, using a hydraulic power unit having a rotatable body which includes the shaft of a hydraulic machine having electronically commutated valves. A motor drives the rotatable body. The hydraulic machine drives an actuator to displace the object in use. Energy is transformed from rotational kinetic energy of the rotatable body to elastic strain energy or elastic strain and gravitational potential energy of the object during a pumping phase and rotation of the rotatable body slows, but does not change direction. The potential energy then drives the hydraulic machine to motor and the rotatable shaft speeds up again, storing rotational kinetic energy. The displacement of the hydraulic machine is controlled throughout to match a time varying demand taking into account the varying speed of rotation of the rotatable shaft. The motor provides energy to compensate for losses and the process can repeat cyclically.