Patent ID: 7669414

Claim:
A vehicle comprising a prime mover, one or more drive wheels, and a power transfer apparatus for transferring power from the prime mover to the wheels for propelling the vehicle, the power transfer apparatus including a power input shaft connected to the prime mover, a primary hydraulic pump, a hydraulic drive motor, a pump coupling for coupling the primary hydraulic pump to the power input shaft, a motor coupling for coupling the hydraulic drive motor to an output drive shaft for driving the one or more drive wheels, an energy storage device in which energy can be stored, primary hydraulic pump power circuitry for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid from the primary hydraulic pump to the energy storage, and hydraulic motor power circuitry for transferring pressurized hydraulic device fluid from the energy storage device to the hydraulic drive motor; an auxiliary hydraulic pump for supplying hydraulic fluid to an auxiliary hydraulic system of the vehicle other than one that effects vehicle propulsion; a power take-off device driven by the power input shaft and drivingly connected to a drive shaft of the auxiliary hydraulic pump; and an auxiliary hydraulic motor powered by pressurized hydraulic fluid from the energy storage device and drivingly connected to the drive shaft of the auxiliary hydraulic pump for driving the drive shaft of the auxiliary hydraulic pump when not driven by the power take-off device.