Hydraulic axle

A hydraulic axle, comprising:

• a reversible hydraulic machine;
• a multi-surface cylinder that includes a piston which has:
• a first and second retraction surfaces;
• and
• a first and second deployment surfaces;
• a hydraulic circuit that includes control valves configured to actuate the piston during a rapid-traverse stroke and during a power stroke, the control valves including:
• a first control valve configured to connect the second deployment surface to a first pressure side of the reversible hydraulic machine,
• a second control valve configured to connect the second retraction surface to a second pressure side of the reversible hydraulic machine,
• a third control valve configured to connect the first retraction surface to the second pressure side of the reversible hydraulic machine, and
• a fourth control valve configured to connect the first deployment surface to the first pressure side of the reversible hydraulic machine, the first control valve arranged fluidically in series with the fourth control valve to enable the fourth control valve to connect the first deployment surface to the first pressure side of the reversible hydraulic machine;
• and
• a hydraulic accumulator connected to each of the first and second pressure sides of the reversible hydraulic machine,
• wherein:
• during the rapid-traverse stroke, the first deployment surface and the first retraction surface are configured to interconnect in a substantially unpressurized fashion via the hydraulic circuit;
• and
• during a rapid-traverse deployment stroke, a pressure medium is configured to act on the second deployment surface.