Axial pump having stress reduced port plate

A port plate for an axial pump, comprising:

• a cylindrical plate member having a head-end face and a piston-end face located opposite the head-end face;
• at least one inlet port formed within a first half of the plate member and extending from the head-end face through the piston-end face;
• a plurality of outlet ports formed within a second half of the plate member and extending from the head-end face through the piston-end face;
• a plurality of timing holes formed within the plate member at a leading end of only a leading one of the plurality of outlet ports and passing from the head-end face through the piston-end face;
• and
• an arcuate spherical groove extending from the plurality of timing holes to the leading one of the plurality of outlet ports.

An axial pump, comprising:

• a housing;
• a barrel rotatably disposed within the housing and at least partially defining a plurality of cylinder bores;
• a plurality of plungers associated with the plurality of cylinder bores;
• a swashplate tiltable by a swivel torque to vary a displacement of the plurality of plungers relative to the plurality of cylinder bores;
• a port plate configured to engage an end of the barrel opposite the swashplate and having:
• a cylindrical plate member with a head-end face and a piston-end face located opposite the head-end face;
• an inlet port formed within a first half of the plate member and extending from the head-end face through the piston-end face;
• a plurality of outlet ports formed within a second half of the plate member and extending from the head-end face through the piston-end face;
• a plurality of timing holes formed within the plate member at a leading end of only a leading one of the plurality of outlet ports and passing from the head-end face through the piston-end face;
• and
• an arcuate spherical groove extending from the plurality of timing holes to the leading one of the plurality of outlet ports.