Abstract: A hydraulic braking system is provided for automatically apportioning braking of the wheels of a vehicle in accordance with the load on respective wheels. A plurality of brake control assemblies each dedicated to one of the wheels of the vehicle are coupled to produce braking of the corresponding wheel upon activation of the brake pedal. The degree of actuation of each brake control assembly is controlled by an element which senses load differences between all wheels on the vehicle (including load differences between wheels on either side of the vehicle and between front and rear wheels), and adjusts the degree of actuation of the corresponding brake control assembly accordingly. In an illustrative embodiment each brake control assembly includes a brake control cylinder having a piston movably disposed therein. The pistons are coupled to the brake pedal so as to be maximally advanced into the brake control cylinder when a maximum brake force is applied.

Abstract: A hydraulic power transmission and braking system for vehicles in which individual hydraulic wheel motors are connected through suitable control apparatus to a variable displacement hydraulic pump which is driven by an appropriate power source. The displacement of the pump varies automatically in response to hydraulic fluid pressure and flow rate requirements imposed by the vehicle operating conditions. The power transmission control apparatus automatically switches from the 4-wheel drive mode to the 2-wheel drive mode as the vehicle accelerates past a predetermined speed. The braking control system proportions the braking force applied to each of the hydraulic wheel motors in accordance with the load imposed on that wheel by the vehicle operating conditions.