System for operating a circle drive gear of a machine

A machine comprising:

• a moldboard;
• a circle drive gear coupled to the moldboard;
• a pump configured to output pressurized fluid therefrom;
• an implement control valve fluidly coupled to the pump via a supply line;
• a bi-directional hydraulic motor located downstream of the implement control valve and fluidly coupled to the implement control valve via a first delivery line and a second delivery line, the hydraulic motor having an output shaft associated therewith, the output shaft of the hydraulic motor being configured to be rotatively driven by pressurized fluid output by the pump for rotating the circle drive gear;
• and
• a brake disposed on the output shaft of the hydraulic motor, the brake configured to:
• engage with the output shaft with the help of a spring force for reducing a rotational speed of the output shaft in a brake engage state;
• and
• operatively disengage from the output shaft in a brake release state with the help of fluid pressure in at least one of the first delivery line and the second delivery line.

A method for operating a circle drive gear associated with a moldboard of a machine, the method comprising:

• providing fluid pressure from a pump via one of a first delivery line and a second delivery line to operatively drive an output shaft of a bi-directional hydraulic motor, wherein the output shaft has a brake associated therewith, the brake being disengaged from the output shaft by means of the fluid pressure in at least one of the first and second delivery lines;
• determining, by means of a controller, whether a command signal for rotating the output shaft of the hydraulic motor has been provided;
• and
• in response to determining that no command signal has been provided, actuate the implement control valve, by means of the controller, such that the implement control valve operatively de-pressurizes the first and second delivery lines to facilitate the brake to engage with the output shaft of the hydraulic motor for providing a holding torque to the output shaft of the hydraulic motor.