Segmented retaining ring assembly

Claim 1

A hydraulic cylinder assembly of the type that includes a rigid shell having an open end and a cylindrical interior surface, an end piece having a longitudinal bore therein in which a piston rod may be slidably positioned, and a longitudinally extending passage coaxial with said bore and of a larger diameter than said bore, said end piece having a circular transverse cross section that includes a first portion that slidably and sealingly engages said interior surface and a second portion of smaller transverse cross section than said first portion and coaxially aligned therewith, said first and second portions at their junction defining a ring-shaped body shoulder that is of a first width, with said hydraulic cylinder assembly characterized by a retaining ring that is so operatively associated therewith that when all of said first portion and at least a part of said second portion are within the confines of said shell and the interior of said shell is subjected to pressure the force exerted on said end piece is distributed both longitudinally and radially on said shell, with said retaining ring being of transverse L-shaped cross section and including first and second legs of rectangular shape, said retaining ring being defined by at least three sections that may be assembled within said shEll adjacent said open end for said first leg to extend into a circular groove in said shell adjacent said open end that extends outwardly from said interior surface for a first ring-shaped surface of said first leg to abut against a first ring-shaped surface that partially defines said groove and a portion of a second ringshaped surface of said first leg to abut against said body shoulder, said first ring-shaped surface of said groove closer to said first end than said second ring-shaped surface of said first leg, said portion of said second ring-shaped surface of greater width than the width of said first ring-shaped surface, said second leg of the assembled retaining ring extending towards said first end and encircling said second portion, said second leg having a first outer surface in contact with said interior surface of said shell, and said end piece when subjected to pressure within said shell tending to move toward said first end and in so doing tending to force said sections of said retaining ring to pivot in a direction that a portion of said force is distributed longitudinally to said shell due to said first surface of said first leg bearing against said first surface of said groove and the balance of said force being distributed radially to said shell by said first outer surface of said second leg bearing against said interior surface of said shell.