Selectable flow divider drive system

An aerial work platform machine comprising:

• a vehicle chassis supporting a liftable work platform;
• a plurality of wheels secured to the vehicle chassis;
• and
• a selectable flow divider drive system for driving the plurality of wheels, the selectable flow divider drive system including:
• a hydraulic fluid reservoir,
• a plurality of drive motors in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid reservoir, each of the plurality of drive motors driving one of the plurality of wheels,
• a hydraulic pump connected between the hydraulic fluid reservoir and the plurality of drive motors, the hydraulic pump directing hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir to the plurality of motors, wherein the hydraulic pump is operable in a high flow condition and a low flow condition,
• a flow divider component interposed between the hydraulic pump and the plurality of motors, the flow divider component selectively dividing hydraulic fluid flow to each of the plurality of drive motors, wherein a flow divider of the flow divider component is sized for the low flow condition of the hydraulic pump,
• a bypass valve disposed upstream of the flow divider, the bypass valve selectively bypassing the flow divider when the hydraulic pump is operated in the high flow condition;
• and
• a fluid circuit downstream of the flow divider component and the bypass valve, the fluid circuit directing the hydraulic fluid in parallel flow to each of the plurality of drive motors regardless of a position of the bypass valve.

A method of driving a plurality of hydraulic motors using a selectable flow divider drive system, the method comprising:

• (a) interposing a flow divider component between a hydraulic pump and the plurality of hydraulic motors, the flow divider component selectively dividing hydraulic fluid flow to each of the plurality of drive motors;
• (b) selectively operating a hydraulic pump in a high flow condition and a low flow condition, the hydraulic pump directing hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir to the plurality of hydraulic motors;
• (c) bypassing a flow divider of the flow divider component with a bypass valve when the hydraulic pump is operated in the high flow condition, wherein the flow divider is sized for the low flow condition of the hydraulic pump;
• (d) directing the hydraulic fluid to a fluid circuit downstream of the flow divider component and the bypass valve;
• and
• (e) directing via the fluid circuit the hydraulic fluid in parallel flow to each of the plurality of drive motors regardless of a position of the bypass valve.