Method of manufacturing a piston

A method of manufacturing a piston responsive to pressurized fluid supplied to a bore of a cylinder to develop an output force corresponding to the pressurized fluid comprising the steps of:

• triaxially braiding a first layer of carbon fibers on a mandrel having a cylindrical body with a first end and a second end, said cylindrical body having a first section that extends from said first end to a tapered section connected to a second section that extends from said second end, said first section having a first diameter and said second section having a second diameter;
• locating a first spacer on said first layer over said first section and adjacent said first end;
• locating a second spacer on said first layer over said second section and adjacent said second end;
• triaxially braiding a second layer of carbon fibers over said first layer and said first and second spacers;
• locating a third spacer on said second layer over said first spacer;
• locating a fourth spacer on said second layer over said second spacer;
• triaxially braiding a third layer of carbon fibers over said second layer and said third and fourth spacers;
• inpregnating said first, second and third layers of carbon fibers with a thermoset resin;
• curing said resin to define a unitary solid structure;
• removing said structure from said mandrel, said structure having a cylindrical body with a first end and a second end, said cylindrical body surface having a first diameter separated from a second diameter by a taper and an annular projection formed adjacent said first end by said first and third spacers, said taper being formed by said second and fourth spacers located adjacent said second end;
• attaching a fitting to said second end of said structure;
• and
• inserting said structure in said bore, said annular projection engaging said bore and responding to a force developed across the first end by pressurized fluid supplied to said bore to transmit an output force to another member through said fitting.