piston-sleeve

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The piston of a trunk-engine, with which the connecting-rod or pitman is directly connected by a pivot. Such a piston has a hollow cylinder (sleeve) cast upon it in order to give it sufficient bearing-length to enable it in itself to perform also the function of a cross-head, the walls of the cylinder then performing the function of the cross-head slides, the pin which directly connects the pitman with the piston taking the place of the ordinary cross-head pin, and no piston-rod being used. This construction enables the engine to be much shortened in the line of its stroke. See trunk-engine.