Piston and rod connection

Claim 2

A piston and rod assembly comprising; a rod; a piston disposed on said rod; locking means for locking said piston on said rod; said locking means including a first groove in said rod, a first recess in said piston, at least two locking members disposed in said groove and extending into said recess and retaining means disposed in said recess for retaining said locking members in said groove, all of said first groove, said first recess, said locking members and said retaining means being aligned radially outwardly of the axis of said rod, said retaining means being disposed radially outwardly of said locking members for retaining said locking members in said groove, said retainer means including a retainer member disposed in said recess between a radially outwardly facing axially extending surface of each of said locking members and a radially inwardly facing axially extending surface of said recess and connector means for maintaining said retainer member in said recess, said retainer member having an axially extending surface engaging said axially extending surface of said locking members so that said connector means is free of axial loads.

Claim 3

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retaining means is in removable mechanical interlocking engagement with said piston.

Claim 4

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said connector means is in removable mechanical interlocking engagement with said piston.

Claim 5

An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said connector means includes at least one threaded fastener in threaded engagement with said retainer member and said piston.

Claim 6

An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said threaded fastener extends axially into said piston in a direction parallel to the axis of said rod.

Claim 7

An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said connector means further includes a snap ring disposed in a groove in said radially inwardly facing surface of said recess and extending into said recess so as to overlap said retainer member.

Claim 8

An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said connector means includes a snap ring disposed in mechanical interlocking engagement with said piston.

Claim 9

An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said snap ring is disposed in a groove in said radially inwardly facing surface of said recess and extends into said recess so as to overlap said retainer member.

Claim 10

An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said retainer member is circular in plan view and L-shaped in cross section with said L-shaped cross section including an axially extending leg defining said axially extending surface engaging said locking members and a radially extending leg abutting said radially inwardly facing surface of said recess.

Claim 11

An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said connector means includes a snap ring disposed in a groove in said radially inwardly facing surface of said recess and extending into said recess axially outwardly of said radially extending leg and in overlapping relationship therewith.

Claim 12

An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said connector means further includes at least one threaded fastener in threaded engagement with said radially extending leg and said piston.

Claim 13

An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said locking means also includes a second groove in said rod axially spaced from said first groove, at least one additional locking member disposed in said second groove and in mechanical interlocking engagement with said piston.

Claim 14

An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said piston has a second recess therein radially aligned with said second groove, and said additional locking member extends radially into said second recess.

Claim 15

An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said additional locking member engages a radially inwardly facing surface of said second recess.

Claim 16

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 whrein said locking means also includes a second groove in said rod axially spaced from said first groove, a plurality of additional locking members disposed in said second groove and in mechanical interlocking engagement with said piston.

Claim 17

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said recesses extend into opposite radial faces of said piston.

Claim 18

An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first recess is radially larger than said second recess and all of said locking members are identical.

Claim 19

A piston and rod assembly comprising: a rod; a piston disposed on said rod; locking means for locking said piston on said rod; said locking means including first and second axially spaced grooves in said rod, first and second recesses extending into opposite faces of said piston, a plurality of locking members disposed in said grooves and extending radially therefrom and into said first and second recesses, said locking members radially filling said second recesses, said locking members in said first recess having a radially outwardly facing axial surface, said first recess being radially larger than said second recess, and retaining means connected to said piston and disposed in said first recess radially outwardly of each locking member therein and having an axially extending surface engaging said axial surface of said locking members for retaining the latter in said first groove so that said retaining means is free of axial loads.

Claim 20

A piston and rod assembly comprising: a rod; a piston disposed on said rod; locking means for locking said piston on said rod; said locking means including first and second axially spaced grooves in said rod, first and second recesses extending into opposite faces of said piston, a plurality of locking members disposed in said grooves and extending radially therefrom and into said first and second recesses, said locking members radially filling said second recesses, said locking members in said first recess having a radially outwardly facing axial surface, said first recess being radially larger than said second recess, and retaining means connected to said piston and disposed in said first recess radially outwardly of each locking member therein and having an axially extending surface engaging said axial surface of said locking members for retaining the latter in said first groove so that said retaining means is free of axial loads.

Claim 21

A piston and rod assembly comprising: a rod; a piston disposed on said rod; locking means for locking said piston on said rod; said locking means including a groove in said rod and extending about the periphery thereof, said groove having axially spaced first and second radially extending side walls interconnected by an axially extending bottom, a recess in said piston peripherally coextensive with said groove and having a radially extending surface aligned with said first side wall and an axially extending surface spaced radially from said rod, at least two locking members disposed in said groove and extending into said recess, said locking members including radial surfaces in abutting engagement with said first side wall and a portion of said radially extending surface, said locking members having a radially outwardly facing axial surface, and retaining means connected to said piston and disposed in said recess in engagement with said radially extending surface and having an axially extending surface engaging said axial surface of said locking members for retaining said locking members in said groove without transmitting axial loads to said retaining means.

Claim 22

A piston and rod assembly comprising: a rod; a piston disposed on said rod; locking means for locking said piston on said rod; said locking means including a groove in said rod and extending about the periphery thereof, said groove having axially spaced first and second radially extending side walls interconnected by an axially extending bottom, a recess in said piston peripherally coextensive with said groove and having a radially extending surface aligned with said first side wall and an axially extending surface spaced radially from said rod, at least two locking members disposed in said groove and extending into said recess, said locking members including radial surfaces in abutting engagement with said first side wall and a portion of said radially extending surface, said locking members having a radially outwardly facing axial surface, and retaining means connected to said piston and disposed in said recess in engagement with said radially extending surface and having an axially extending surface engaging said axial surface of said locking members for retaining said locking members in said groove without transmitting axial loads to said retaining means.