US3817341A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hydraulic drive for trucks, trailers and truck-trailer combinations
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-10-17
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Granted: 1974-06-18
•
Expires: 1992-10-17
Abstract
Abstract A truck, coupled to one or more trailers, has a differential pump driven by the truck''s power plant, the pump including an output shaft mechanically coupled to a truck driving wheel, fluid outlet and inlet ports, mechanical reacting means for driving the output shaft at a speed which varies inversely with the quantity of fluid flowing through the pump, (preferably the pump having a by-pass valve for replacing a mechanical clutch), and one or more hydraulic motors on the trailer connected by conduits through coupling means to the truck and pump. The motors may be of variable, positive displacement, controlled from the truck, so that when the displacements are zero no torque is applied to the trailer; or they may be fixed displacement and connected to valves which alter the flow route to vary the effective motor displacement. Thereby the trailer can be started on poor ground, can drive the truck engine in compression, and can maintain tension on the mechanical coupling. A truck towing several trailers is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 C Greene
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 23:06
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D13/00; B62D13/04; B60; B60D; B60D1/00; B60D1/58; B60D1/62; F; F02; F02P; F02P11/00; F02P11/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
The combination of a truck and a trailer which is mechanically and pivotally coupled to the truck, said trailer and truck each having at least one driving wheel, wherein said combination includes: a. a power plant, b. a differential pump having an input shaft coupled to be driven by the power plant, a high-pressure outlet for fluid, an inlet for fluid, an output shaft, and reacting means for driving said output shaft at a speed which varies, in relation to the speed of said input shaft, inversely with the quantity of fluid flowing through said inlet and outlet, c. mechanical means drivingly connecting said output shaft to said truck driving wheel, and d. a hydraulic motor on the trailer coupled mechanically to drive said trailer driving wheel, and conduit means on the truck and trailer for connecting the inlet and outlet of said motor respectively to the said outlet and inlet of the pump.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
The combination of a truck and a trailer which is mechanically and pivotally coupled to the truck, said trailer and truck each having at least one driving wheel, wherein said combination includes: a. a power plant, b. a differential pump having an input shaft coupled to be driven by the power plant, a high-pressure outlet for fluid, an inlet for fluid, an output shaft, and reacting means for driving said output shaft at a speed which varies, in relation to the speed of said input shaft, inversely with the quantity of fluid flowing through said inlet and outlet, c. mechanical means drivingly connecting said output shaft to said truck driving wheel, and d. a hydraulic motor on the trailer coupled mechanically to drive said trailer driving wheel, and conduit means on the truck and trailer for connecting the inlet and outlet of said motor respectively to the said outlet and inlet of the pump.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said motor has a positive displacement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
a power plant, differential pump having an input shaft coupled to the power plant, a high-pressure outlet for fluid, an inlet for fluid, an output shaft, and reacting means for driving said output shaft at a speed which varies, in relation to the speed of said input shaft, inversely with the quantity of fluid flowing through said inlet and outlet, and
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
a power plant, differential pump having an input shaft coupled to the power plant, a high-pressure outlet for fluid, an inlet for fluid, an output shaft, and reacting means for driving said output shaft at a speed which varies, in relation to the speed of said input shaft, inversely with the quantity of fluid flowing through said inlet and outlet, and
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
through said motors in parallel, for varying the effective displacement of the motor combination.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
through said motors in parallel, for varying the effective displacement of the motor combination.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
94 words
mechanical means drivingly connecting said output shaft to the truck driving wheel, b. one or more hydraulic motors on at least one trailer, said one trailer having at least one trailer driving wheel mechanically and drivenly connected to the motor, and c. means including conduits interconnecting said motor and said outlet and inlet of the pump and operable by the operator of the combination for varying the direction and magnitude of the torque to the trailer driving wheel applied through the said motor by the interaction of said hydraulic motor and said differential pump.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
94 words
mechanical means drivingly connecting said output shaft to the truck driving wheel, b. one or more hydraulic motors on at least one trailer, said one trailer having at least one trailer driving wheel mechanically and drivenly connected to the motor, and c. means including conduits interconnecting said motor and said outlet and inlet of the pump and operable by the operator of the combination for varying the direction and magnitude of the torque to the trailer driving wheel applied through the said motor by the interaction of said hydraulic motor and said differential pump.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said motor has a variable effective displacement.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The combination according to claim 3 which includes: a. remotely controlled actuator means on the trailer for varying the displacement of said motor, b. control means on the truck for operating said remotely controlled actuator means, and c. a line interconnecting said control means and remotely controlled actuator means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The combination according to claim 4 wherein said motor has a positive displacement.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein a. said trailer includes at least two hydraulic motors each connected drivingly to a separate one of said trailer driving wheels, and b. the combination includes valve means interconnected between the pump and said hydraulic motors for causing the flow of fluid to be either
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination according to claim 6 whErein a. said motors have positive, fixed displacements, and b. said valve means are mounted on the truck and are controllable by the operator of the truck.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said trailer is one of two trailers coupled in tandem to the truck.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
The combination according to claim 8 wherein both of said trailers have at least one trailer driving wheel, each trailer has a hydraulic motor coupled mechanically to drive the respective trailer wheel, and both trailers have conduit means for connecting the motor inlets and outlets of the motors to said pump outlet and inlet, respectively, through said hydraulic coupling means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination of a truck and one or more trailers which are mechanically and pivotally coupled thereto, a. said truck having
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination of a truck and one or more trailers which are mechanically and pivotally coupled thereto, a. said truck having
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination according to claim 10 wherein said trailer is a semi-trailer having the front end thereof supported on a preceding vehicle by coupling means which permit relative motion between the trailer and the said vehicle in a substantially horizontal plane, said driving wheel and motor being situated on said semi-trailer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
132 words
A trailer adapted to be towed by a self-propelled truck having differential pump which includes an input shaft driven by a power plant, an output shaft mechanically coupled to at least one truck driving wheel, a high-pressure fluid outlet, a fluid inlet, and reacting means for driving said output shaft at a speed which varies, in relation to the speed of the input shaft, inversely with the quantity of fluid flowing through said outlet and inlet, and said trailer having at least one ground-engaging driving wheel, a hydraulic motor drivingly connected to said last-mentioned wheel, and conduit means adapted to be connected to said inlet and outlet of the differential pump on the truck for flowing hydraulic fluid through said motor to apply driving power to the trailer wheel from the truck.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
132 words
A trailer adapted to be towed by a self-propelled truck having differential pump which includes an input shaft driven by a power plant, an output shaft mechanically coupled to at least one truck driving wheel, a high-pressure fluid outlet, a fluid inlet, and reacting means for driving said output shaft at a speed which varies, in relation to the speed of the input shaft, inversely with the quantity of fluid flowing through said outlet and inlet, and said trailer having at least one ground-engaging driving wheel, a hydraulic motor drivingly connected to said last-mentioned wheel, and conduit means adapted to be connected to said inlet and outlet of the differential pump on the truck for flowing hydraulic fluid through said motor to apply driving power to the trailer wheel from the truck.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
12 words
The trailer according to claim 12 wherein the trailer is a semi-trailer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
73 words
The trailer according to claim 12 wherein said motor is a positive and variable displacement motor, and has remotely controllable actuator means mounted on the trailer and operable independently of the pressure of fluid supplied to the motor by said conduit means for varying the dispalcement of the motor, and a control line connectible to the truck for controlling the operation of said actuator means, thereby to control the displacement of the motor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
68 words
The trailer according to claim 12 wherein said trailer has at least two positive displacement motors drivingly connected to one or more ground-engaging trailer driving wheels, and additional conduit means from said motors adapted to be connected to the truck and including the first-mentioned conduit means for causing flow through the motors to be either in series or in parallel, to vary the effective displacement of the motors.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
67 words
The trailer according to claim 12 which is coupled to a preceding traileR adapted for connection to a truck, in combination with said preceding trailer, both of said trailers having ground-engaging driving wheels and both trailers having each at least one hydraulic motor drivingly coupled to the respective driving wheels, said conduit means being connected to both of said motors to apply driving power to both trailers.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
137 words
The combination of a vehicle and at least one trailer, including driving wheels on both the vehicle and the trailer, said trailer being mechanically and pivotally coupled to said vehicle, one or more hydraulic motors on the trailer coupled to drive said trailer driving wheel, and a power plant said combination having in its power train from the power plant to the driving wheels a differential pump which has an output shaft coupled mechanically to said driving wheels of the vehicle and which generates in its hydraulic fluid system a pressure which is always proportional to the input torque transmitted by the differential pump output shaft to the driving wheels of the vehicle including conduit means interconnecting said pump to the hydraulic motor on the trailer, to aid in the propulsion and/or the control of the trailer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
137 words
The combination of a vehicle and at least one trailer, including driving wheels on both the vehicle and the trailer, said trailer being mechanically and pivotally coupled to said vehicle, one or more hydraulic motors on the trailer coupled to drive said trailer driving wheel, and a power plant said combination having in its power train from the power plant to the driving wheels a differential pump which has an output shaft coupled mechanically to said driving wheels of the vehicle and which generates in its hydraulic fluid system a pressure which is always proportional to the input torque transmitted by the differential pump output shaft to the driving wheels of the vehicle including conduit means interconnecting said pump to the hydraulic motor on the trailer, to aid in the propulsion and/or the control of the trailer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-17 | 1977-12-17 | 1978-06-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-17 | 1981-12-17 | 1982-06-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-17 | 1985-12-17 | 1986-06-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |