Press device having an extended press nip for pressing a traveling paper or paperboard web

A press device for pressing a web that is carried in a machine direction through an extended nip between the press device and a backing member, comprising:

• a press shoe structured and arranged to be juxtaposed with the backing member to form said extended nip through which the web passes, the press shoe extending in a cross-machine direction along substantially a full width of the web;
• a support that supports the press shoe such that the press shoe is movable in a loading direction toward the backing member for applying pressure to the web;
• a plurality of loading cylinders spaced apart in the cross-machine direction along the press shoe, each loading cylinder comprising a first cylinder member fixed on the press shoe, a second cylinder member fixed on the support, and a connecting member slidably engaged with and extending between the first and second cylinder members, wherein the connecting member and the first cylinder member are slidable in relation to each other with a first maximum length of stroke L1, and the connecting member and the second cylinder member are slidable in relation to each other with a second maximum length of stroke L2, the connecting member has a length L3 in a direction corresponding to that along which the connecting member is slidable in relation to the first and second cylinder members, and wherein the first maximum length of stroke L1 is smaller than the second maximum length of stroke L2.