Auxiliary power system for automotive vehicle

Claim 1

An auxiliary power and suspension system for an automotive vehicle or the like, comprising a vehicle frame, a body mounted on the frame, auxiliary equipment for the vehicle and a plurality of supporting wheels for the vehicle, said auxiliary power and suspension system comprising: suspension means for mounting the wheels on the vehicle frame, said suspension means allowing limited vertical movement of the wheels relative to the frame in response to irregularities and changes in contour of terrain traversed by the wheels; power transmission means, connected to at least two wheels and to the vehicle frame, for actuation in response to relative vertical movement therebetween; and power conversion means, connected and actuated by said power transmission means, for converting mechanical kinetic energy applied to said power conversion means through said power transmission means into another energy form more readily useable in operation of said auxiliary equipment; said power conversion means comprising hydraulic pump means comprising a plurality of double-acting cylinders, a reciprocal piston dividing each into two chambers, and inlet-outlet ports in said chambers; a transmission line communicating with said chambers through said inlet-outlet ports, valve means in the transmission line to regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid; and hydraulic motor means communicating directly through said transmission line and valve means with said chambers and actuated by the hydraulic pressure therein; said motor means, transmission line, valve means and at least one chamber of each double-acting cylinder comprising a generally fluid tight hydraulic circuit substantially completely filled with fluid and operable independent of any system resErvoir; and said auxiliary power and suspension system supporting the entire weight of the vehicle which acts on said wheels.