Hydraulic cylinder

A hydraulic cylinder is a kind of mechanical actuator that is used to provide a unidirectional force via a stroke that likewise moves in a unidirectional direction. It is also known as a linear hydraulic motor. It is used in a wide variety of contexts, including but not limited to industrial machines, elevators, civil engineering, and construction equipment (engineering vehicles).

The power that drives hydraulic cylinders comes from hydraulic fluid that has been compressed; normally, this fluid is oil. The barrel of the hydraulic cylinder houses a piston that is attached to a piston rod and swings back and forth within the cylinder as the rod moves. One end of the barrel is sealed off by the cylinder bottom, also known as the cap, and the other end is sealed off by the cylinder head, also known as the gland, which is located at the point where the piston rod emerges from the cylinder. Sliding rings and seals are attached to the piston. The inside of the cylinder is separated into two chambers by the piston: the bottom chamber (located at the cap end), and the piston rod side chamber (located at the rod end/head end).