Propulsion system

A propulsion system for a wheeled vehicle having a main structure including a chassis and body, designed to convert the kinetic energy of the moving vehicle during deceleration into mechanical energy in the form of a compressed gas, comprising:

• a prime mover coupled to a hydrostatic pump of the variable displacement radial piston type, one or more hydrostatic pumps and motors, accumulator means including a gas accumulator pressure vessel for containing a compressed gas and also comprising an integral structural part of said vehicle structure, hydraulic means for compressing gas trapped in said gas accumulator vessel which is actuated by operating the hydrostatic motors as hydrostatic pumps during dynamic braking of the vehicle or by energizing the prime mover-driven hydrostatic pump, and control means for allowing the compressed gas to expand to propel the hydraulic fluid through said hydrostatic motors to driven the wheels and accelerate the vehicle.

A propulsion system for a wheeled vehicle having a main structure including a chassis and body comprising in combination:

• hydrostatic means operably associated with the wheels of said vehicle for hydraulically driving said wheels, a gas accumulator for storing kinetic energy of said wheeled vehicle during deceleration of said vehicle, said gas accumulator storing said kinetic energy as compressed gas by a hydraulic fluid, said gas accumulator comprising a pressure vessel which is mounted and constructed and arranged as an integral structural part of said main structure of said vehicle, and means for driving the wheels of said vehicle at least during periods when said vehicle is moving and said accumulator is not operably supplying hydraulic fluid for use in driving said vehicle.