Telescopic Hydraulic Cylinders
Long Reach, Short Profile
Engineered to YOUR Application
Telescopic hydraulic cylinders, sometimes called multi-stage cylinders, allow for a long stroke while maintaining a short retracted length. This is achieved with 2 or more nested stages which help to achieve a longer working stroke than a single-stage rod-style actuator is capable of.
RHK’s technical sales and engineering teams have extensive experience designing cylinders from a set of specifications or even a conceptual idea.
Engineered to YOUR Application
Telescopic hydraulic cylinders, sometimes called multi-stage cylinders, allow for a long stroke while maintaining a short retracted length. This is achieved with 2 or more nested stages which help to achieve a longer working stroke than a single-stage rod-style actuator is capable of.
RHK’s technical sales and engineering teams have extensive experience designing cylinders from a set of specifications or even a conceptual idea.
Designed and Manufactured to your Requirements
RHK’s sales and engineering team has extensive experience designing cylinders from a set of specifications or even a conceptual idea. Let us engineer a design to your specific application.
- Custom Bore Size, Stroke length and lifting capacity
- Custom Mounting Configuration
- Threaded/Bolted Gland
- Threaded/Bolted/Welded Endcap
- Counterbalance, Pilot Operated Check Valves
- Porting options (ORB, NPT, C61) and location
- Custom Paint to your spec
Single Acting Telescopic Cylinders
Single Acting Telescopic Cylinders are extended using hydraulic pressure and retracted using an external force, such as gravity.
Double Acting Telescopic Cylinders
Double Acting Telescopic Cylinders use hydraulic pressure to extend AND retract. This design involves additional sealing and internal components feature machined passageways for proper staging.
Single/Double Acting Combination
Single/Double Acting Combination Cylinders provide a retract force for only a portion of the stroke and gravity retracts the remainder. Allowing a number of stages to remain single acting, maintains simplicity in design and reduces overall cost.
Application Specific Design and Engineering
RHK is a leader in custom manufacturing of all types of hydraulic cylinders. We manufacture single or multi-stage cylinders, single or double acting. All products are engineered to meet safety, material strength, and load capacity guidelines. Additionally, all manufacturing processes are done in-house.
Our engineering and applications team will work closely with you, the customer to understand your specifications, requirements and applications. RHK will create designs, manufacture, inspect and deliver within the timeframe which ensures consistent high-quality cylinders to the marketplace. All cylinders are designed, built and tested as per API standards and follow ISO 9001:2015 standards.
Valve Integration
Up the Safety Factor
Counterbalance valves provide increased stability and performance in load-holding applications. By integrating valves directly into a cylinder, the risk of external leakage and hose failure is eliminated.
Options Include:
- Counterbalance valves, Pilot controlled check valves, speed control valves
- Mid barrel mount, Endcap mount, Rod eye mount
Multi-Stage Cylinder Worksheet
Use this sheet to help design a custom multi-stage cylinder and obtain a quote. Not all specs are required but the more information provided, the better.
Mounting Connections
Here is a list of typical mounting connections. For custom mounting options, get in touch!
Cross Tube
Flange – Round
Clevis
Flange – Square
Clevis – Threaded
Hole Thru
Lug
Threaded – Male
Lug w/Spherical
Plane Bearing
Threaded – Female
Trunnion
Radius
Telescopic Hydraulic Cylinders FAQs
Telescopic cylinders, sometimes called multi-stage cylinders, have a longer stroke than a standard cylinder while maintaining a short retracted length. It is helpful in space-constrained environments.
Telescopic cylinders consist of 2 to 6 sleeves that decrease in diameter and are placed inside of each cylinder. The first sleeve extends as hydraulic pressure is applied. Once the first sleeve is fully extended, the process repeats until the final sleeve, the plunger.
There are a few factors that can affect the delivery time of your telescopic cylinder including complexity, current workload, and material availability. Our typical order times range from 4-6 weeks. Contact us for more information on your delivery time.
The most common causes of welded cylinder failure are:
- Fluid Contamination: Foreign particles in the hydraulic fluid can scratch the cylinder bore and cause corrosion.
- Seal Failure: Damaged seals cannot maintain pressurized hydraulic fluid and leakage between components, depleting operating pressure.
- Mount Connection Failure: Excessive stress on the mount connection causes quicker wear or failure.
- Side Loading: When an external force is applied perpendicular to the cylinder, it creates wear. Excessive side loading can cause a bent or broken rod.
- Extreme Temperatures: Extreme heat causes seals to lose their shape and effectiveness. Extreme cold loses elasticity and becomes brittle.
- Over-Pressurizing: Repeatedly handling more pressure than it is designed for causes snap rings to dislodge and becomes dangerous to operate.
- Corrosion: Repeated exposure to weather will cause rusting and pitting in the rods. The rusted rods will destroy the cylinder seal next time the cylinder is retracted.
Telescoping cylinders are required when a long stroke is needed while maintaining a short retracted length.
Telescoping cylinders are used in various applications in space-constrained environments.
Partner with Us
Since 1990, RHK has been manufacturing hydraulic cylinders for a wide range of industries. Our Sales and Engineering team has extensive experience and is standing by to develop a custom solution for your application.