Patent ID: 7661523

Claim:
A linear hydraulic motor which includes an elongate cylinder with at least one longitudinally extending aperture in a longitudinally extending wall of the cylinder, at least one piston slidingly located inside the cylinder, the piston having a longitudinally extending portion which fits with clearance in the cylinder and which describes a path in use which penetrates an interior zone of the cylinder which extends radially inwardly from the aperture in the cylinder wall; an internal reinforcing member slidingly located inside the cylinder to travel with the piston and located over at least a portion of said longitudinally extending portion of the piston, the reinforcing member describing a path in use which also penetrates said interior zone of the cylinder which extends radially inwardly from the aperture in the cylinder wall, the reinforcing member having portions which are concentric and radially aligned with circumferentially spaced portions of the cylinder wall that are on opposite sides of said aperture in the cylinder wall, and the reinforcing member at least partially closing the aperture in the cylinder wall when sliding past the aperture; and at least one force transfer member connected to the piston through said aperture in the cylinder wall.