Cylinder and piston device and a method for the assembling thereof

A method of assembling a cylinder-piston device of the type including a cylinder member, a piston rod member axially movable relative to the cylinder member and extending through at least one end of the cylinder, a piston unit mounted on said piston rod for movement therewith relative to the cylinder member, and

• first and second cooperative engagement means carried by said piston rod member and by said piston unit, respectively, for releasably mounting said piston unit on said piston rod member, at least one of said first and second engagement means being radially displaceable relative to the longidutinal axis of said cylinder when said piston unit is located outside said cylinder but not when inside said cylinder, between a first radial position, at which said one means is adapted to engage said other engagement means, and a second radial position at which said one means is adapted to be disengaged from said other engagement means to permit the mounting of said piston unit on said piston rod member, comprising the steps of:
• displacing said first engagement means from said first radial position to said second radial position while said piston unit is outside said cavity;
• sliding said piston unit axially onto said piston rod member until said first and second engagement means are in position to be engaged;