Patent ID: 8261871

Claim:
A hydraulic transmission assembly for an associated ground vehicle comprising: a pump unit configured to operably connect to an associated motor of the associated ground vehicle; a manifold fluidly connected to said pump unit, the manifold including means for mounting to the associated ground vehicle; and a hydraulic motor assembly connected to said manifold, said motor assembly including: a motor housing configured to rotatably mount to an associated wheel assembly of the associated ground vehicle, a stationary output shaft having a first end section received in said motor housing and a second end section configured to rigidly attach to an associated frame of the associated ground vehicle, said output shaft including at least one internal fluid passage in fluid communication with at least one fluid passage of said pump unit, said output shaft further including another internal fluid passage communicating with a pressurizable brake assembly at least partially housed in said hydraulic motor assembly, pressurization of said another internal fluid passage disengaging said brake assembly, wherein pressurization of said hydraulic motor assembly via said pump unit rotates said motor housing relative to said stationary output shaft which, in turn, rotates the associated wheel assembly in one of a first direction and second direction, wherein said manifold is fluidly connected to said at least one passage of said pump unit and said at least one passage of said output shaft via at least one internal passage, wherein said manifold fluidly connects said pump unit and said hydraulic motor assembly with no intervening external fluid lines.