FIELD: materials handling. SUBSTANCE: cylinder is made in form of flat piston - cylinder block with at least one longer stroke cylinder arranged in hollow rod of piston. Hollow rod of first cylinder serves simultaneously as tube of cylinder or cylinders with longer stroke. Ratio of working surface of hollow piston-cylinder block and working surface of cylinder or cylinders with longer stroke is from 2:1 to 5:1, maximum. According to proposed method of displacement of loads differing in degree of load and displacement strokes by means of multistep hydraulic cylinder, first higher pressure of working medium is applied to piston-cylinder block to tear off the load and then working pressure is applied to longer stroke cylinder for displacement of load. EFFECT: enlarged operating capabilities. 3 cl, 4 dwg
