A hydraulic machine includes an actuator, a tank, a directional control valve disposed between the actuator and the tank, and an adjustable return check valve disposed between the directional control valve and the tank. The directional control valve includes an attachment actuator directional control valve disposed between an attachment actuator of the actuator and the tank and a swing actuator directional control valve disposed between a swing actuator of the actuator and the tank. The adjustable return check valve allows fluid to flow from the attachment actuator directional control valve toward the tank while applying the low back pressure but blocks a flow, and allows fluid to flow from the swing actuator directional control valve toward the tank while applying the high back pressure but blocks a reverse flow.

A directly-controlled hydraulic directional valve includes a housing, control piston, first and second springs, double-stroke solenoid, spring plate, adjustment device, and electronics. The piston is longitudinally displaceable in a bore in the housing, either directly or via a control sleeve. The springs are positioned in a region of an end of the piston remote from the solenoid. One end of each spring is supported on the spring plate, which is clamped between the springs and the piston. The other end of the first spring is fixed to the housing, and the other end of the second spring is fixed to the adjustment device. The first spring exerts a force on the piston in a first direction, and the second spring exerts a force on the piston in a second opposite direction, so as to bias the piston into a preferred position. The solenoid is mounted on a side of the housing, and is operable to move the piston out from the preferred position in opposite directions proportional to an electric current from the electronics, such that the piston moves to the preferred position in response to each of non-actuation of the solenoid and a fault in the electronics. The adjustment device is operable to alter a position of the other end of the second spring to adjust the preferred position of the piston.

A servohydraulic drive includes a hydrostatic displacement machine, an electric machine that is mechanically speed-coupled with the displacement machine, a hydraulic cylinder that is fluidically connected to the displacement machine via first and second working lines, a hydraulic accumulator, and a supply unit. The displacement machine has a stroke that is adjustable via a hydraulic adjustment device. The cylinder is configured to be activated by reversal of the fluid flow through the displacement machine in opposite directions. The accumulator is preset to a low pressure and is fluidically connected via a valve assembly in each case to the lower pressure working line. The supply unit is configured to supply the adjustment device with pressurized fluid under the necessary pressure for the adjustment regardless of the present pressure in the working lines such that the displacement machine is configured for an active and load pressure-independent adjustment of its stroke volume.

A servohydraulic drive includes a hydrostatic displacement machine, an electric machine that is mechanically speed-coupled with the displacement machine, a hydraulic cylinder that is fluidically connected to the displacement machine via first and second working lines, a hydraulic accumulator, and a supply unit. The displacement machine has a stroke that is adjustable via a hydraulic adjustment device. The cylinder is configured to be activated by reversal of the fluid flow through the displacement machine in opposite directions. The accumulator is preset to a low pressure and is fluidically connected via a valve assembly in each case to the lower pressure working line. The supply unit is configured to supply the adjustment device with pressurized fluid under the necessary pressure for the adjustment regardless of the present pressure in the working lines such that the displacement machine is configured for an active and load pressure-independent adjustment of its stroke volume.

Apparatus to bias spool valves using supply pressure are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a sleeve of a spool valve, and a spool within the sleeve to control a flow of fluid at a supply pressure through the spool valve as the spool is moved relative to the sleeve in response to a variable input force. A biasing force is to bias the spool opposite the variable input force. The biasing force is to be generated from a biasing pressure of the fluid within a chamber adjacent a biasing end of the spool. The biasing pressure is to be based on the fluid at the supply pressure provided directly to the chamber from a supply of the fluid independent of the flow of the fluid through the spool valve.

A directly-controlled hydraulic directional valve includes a housing, control piston, first and second springs, double-stroke solenoid, spring plate, adjustment device, and electronics. The piston is longitudinally displaceable in a bore in the housing, either directly or via a control sleeve. The springs are positioned in a region of an end of the piston remote from the solenoid. One end of each spring is supported on the spring plate, which is clamped between the springs and the piston. The other end of the first spring is fixed to the housing, and the other end of the second spring is fixed to the adjustment device. The first spring exerts a force on the piston in a first direction, and the second spring exerts a force on the piston in a second opposite direction, so as to bias the piston into a preferred position. The solenoid is mounted on a side of the housing, and is operable to move the piston out from the preferred position in opposite directions proportional to an electric current from the electronics, such that the piston moves to the preferred position in response to each of non-actuation of the solenoid and a fault in the electronics. The adjustment device is operable to alter a position of the other end of the second spring to adjust the preferred position of the piston.

A hydraulic drive system for a track device of crawler type has right and left hydraulic track motors. The hydraulic drive system is capable of correcting for skew occurring in the straight line traveling of the track device. A traveling test is conducted upon shipment from a factory. If skew is noted during the test, a plug disposed on the side of a valve opening-side pressure receiving portion of a pressure compensating valve for the track which is lower in speed is removed and, replaced with an adjusting mechanism-mounted plug having an adjusting pin. The pin is operated so as to strengthen a biasing force of a target compensating differential pressure adjusting spring. An opening in the pressure compensating valve is thereby corrected in an opening direction and a flow rate to one of the left and right track motors is thereby adjusted to be equal to the other motor.

A hydraulic machine includes an actuator, a tank, a directional control valve disposed between the actuator and the tank, and an adjustable return check valve disposed between the directional control valve and the tank. The directional control valve includes an attachment actuator directional control valve disposed between an attachment actuator of the actuator and the tank and a swing actuator directional control valve disposed between a swing actuator of the actuator and the tank. The adjustable return check valve allows fluid to flow from the attachment actuator directional control valve toward the tank while applying the low back pressure but blocks a flow, and allows fluid to flow from the swing actuator directional control valve toward the tank while applying the high back pressure but blocks a reverse flow.

Apparatus to bias spool valves using supply pressure are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a sleeve of a spool valve, and a spool within the sleeve to control a flow of fluid at a supply pressure through the spool valve as the spool is moved relative to the sleeve in response to a variable input force. A biasing force is to bias the spool opposite the variable input force. The biasing force is to be generated from a biasing pressure of the fluid within a chamber adjacent a biasing end of the spool. The biasing pressure is to be based on the fluid at the supply pressure provided directly to the chamber from a supply of the fluid independent of the flow of the fluid through the spool valve.

Methods and apparatus to bias spool valves using supply pressure are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a housing of a spool valve, the housing including a first port to receive a fluid at a supply pressure. The example apparatus further includes a spool within the housing. A position of the spool is to be selectively controlled via an input force acting on the spool, the position of the spool to define a path of a flow of the fluid through the spool valve from the first port to a second port of the housing. A biasing force is to bias the spool opposite the input force, the biasing force to be generated from the supply pressure applied to an end of the spool.