Retrofitting methods and retrofitted hydraulic drives

Abstract

A hydraulic drive is retrofitted with an on-off switching facility. To this end, a block is provided having a front portion fitting the drive at adjacent inlet and outlet openings and having a rear portion opposite the front portion. The block is provided with a first through-opening leading from the rear portion to the front portion for communication with the inlet opening, and with a second through-opening leading from the rear portion to the front portion for communication with the outlet opening. The first through-opening at the rear portion of the block is adapted for reception of a fitting or a hydraulic fluid delivery hose which ordinarily would have been received in the above mentioned inlet opening. Similarly, the second through-opening is adapted at the rear portion of the block for reception of a further fitting for a hydraulic fluid return hose which would otherwise have been received in the above mentioned outlet opening. The block is provided with a valve being manually actuable between an open position providing an interconnection between the through-openings for deactivating the drive and enclosed position blocking that interconnection for reactivation of the drive. The block is mounted on the drive with the front portion fitting the drive at the inlet and outlet openings, the first through-opening communicating with the inlet opening, and the second through-opening communicating with the outlet opening.