The invention relates to a hydraulic cylinder, for example for use with a hydraulic tool, which hydraulic tool is provided with a frame and an element which is movable with respect to the frame by means of the hydraulic cylinder. A hydraulic tool which is operated by means of a hydraulic cylinder as described above is known from, for example, European patent no. 0641618. This patent discloses a frame which is coupleable to a jib of an excavator or the like and to which an assembly of two jaws can be coupled. One of the jaws is pivotable with respect to the other jaw by means of a hydraulic adjusting cylinder (a double-acting piston/cylinder combination).

A method of manufacturing a gas cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention may include applying a sealant to at least a portion of inner surface of a hollow spindle; inserting a cylinder assembly contacting the inner surface of the spindle through an inlet of the spindle and forming a sealant film on an inner surface of the spindle by frictionally applying the sealant to the inner surface of the spindle; and hardening the sealant film to form a cured film cylinder in contact with the inner surface of the spindle.

A cover for a rod end of an actuator comprises a mounting collar for surrounding and mounting to a portion of the rod end. The collar is deformable such that it may be mounted over a rod eye mounted to the rod end. The cover further comprises a shield extending from the collar and shaped such that when attached to the rod end the shield shields a portion of rod end to prevent fluid or foreign object ingress to the rod end.

A protection system for a hydraulic cylinder piston having a barrel and a piston rod reciprocating therein, the protection system comprising a piston rod shield which is fixed with respect to the piston rod in use to move with respect to the barrel to cover the piston rod when the piston rod is exposed from the barrel and wherein the piston rod shield comprises a non-metallic flexible material which substantially returns to shape after deformation.

Disclosed is a method for repairing a piston-cylinder unit within a working machine or within an attachment, wherein a connection of the piston rod with the machine or implement structure is released and the piston rod, the piston and at least one bearing head is jointly removed from the cylinder housing as an assembly and replaced by a premounted substitute assembly consisting of piston rod, piston and at least one bearing head.

A sensor system for monitoring a condition of a piston rod includes an interrogator system having a first coil winding coupled to a housing and radially spaced from the piston rod such that a gap is defined between the first coil winding and the piston rod. A second coil winding is coupled to the piston rod and is inductively coupled to the first coil winding. The second coil winding is configured to communicate with the first coil winding through a range of linear movement of the piston rod relative to the housing. A sensor is coupled to the second coil winding. The sensor is configured to measure a characteristic associated with the piston rod and generate a current in the second coil winding to transmit, via the inductive coupling with the first coil winding, an electrical output signal associated with the characteristic to the interrogator system.

A method for determining the position of a first part moving in relation to a second part in a system, comprising forming a code on a surface of the first part or the second part, yielding an encoded surface; detecting the code on the encoded surface; decoding the code; and determining the position of the moving part from the decoding of the code; the code comprises microstructures at precisely selected positions on the surface of the encoded part; detecting the code comprises scanning the encoded surface with a sensor in conditions selected in relation to the code formed and to the encoded surface to precisely read the code on the encoded surface.

An actuator assembly for moving an implement attached to an agricultural vehicle. The actuator assembly includes an actuator comprising a longitudinal axis, a cylinder extending along the longitudinal axis, and a piston rod extending from the cylinder along the longitudinal axis and that is configured to be attached to the implement at a connection point. A safety stop is pivotably attached at the connection point and is movable between a deployed position where the safety stop is configured to block retraction of the actuator, and a retracted position where the safety stop is not configured to block retraction of the actuator. The safety stop is configured to rotate with respect to the actuator about a first rotational axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, as well as a second rotational axis that is orthogonal to both the longitudinal axis and the first rotational axis.

Described herein is a fluid circuit device. The device incorporates at least one pressure balancing valve located between at least two fluid volumes that can be in a pressure differential arrangement wherein the at least one pressure balancing valve acts to address a pressure differential by opening a fluid volume or volumes to a third pressure equalising volume. In use, the fluid circuit device may in one embodiment be used in an energy absorbtion apparatus.

Disclosed is a method for repairing a piston-cylinder unit within a working machine or within an attachment, wherein a connection of the piston rod with the machine or implement structure is released and the piston rod, the piston and at least one bearing head is jointly removed from the cylinder housing as an assembly and replaced by a premounted substitute assembly consisting of piston rod, piston and at least one bearing head.