Hydraulic, pneumatic, pneumatic-hydraulic or combined pneumatic-explosion press

A press for the shaping of a material, comprising:

• a supporting platform;
• an outer fixed cylinder having a flange at an upper end thereof secured to said platform, said outer fixed cylinder depending from said platform and forming an outer wall of the press;
• an inner fixed guiding cylinder coaxially received in said outer fixed cylinder with all around clearance and formed with an upper end having a flange secured to said platform;
• a cover overlying said upper end of said inner fixed guiding cylinder and secured thereto, said cover having a central opening;
• a movable cylinder slidably received in and guided by said inner fixed guiding cylinder and having a lower end lying below a lower end of said inner fixed guiding cylinder, said movable cylinder extending upwardly through said cover;
• a pressing tool engageable with said material mounted on said lower end of said movable cylinder;
• drive means mounted on said platform above said cover and said flanges for displacing said movable cylinder downwardly an exerting upon said movable cylinder and upon said tool through said movable cylinder a pressing force;
• a central piston slidably received in said movable cylinder and entrainable therewith upon displacement for said movable cylinder by said drive means;
• and
• retraction means mounted on said platform above said cover and said flanges and adapted to be coupled to said central piston for retracting same and thereby entraining said movable cylinder upwardly.