Hydraulic tool

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I claim: 1.
A hydraulic tool comprising: (a) a body structure including a hydraulic cylinder extending along a first axis and a stationary tool element offset from said first axis, (b) a piston received in said cylinder for movement along said first axis from a retracted to an extended position upon introduction of hydraulic fluid into said cylinder, said piston including an abutment face centered on said first axis; (c) a slide member having a leg extending radially with respect to said first axis, said leg having a portion lying on said first axis and a movable tool element offset from said first axis, said movable tool element cooperating with said stationary tool element to define a second axis offset from and parallel to said first axis; and (d) a shaft member rigidly mounted on said leg portion lying on said first axis for movement with said slide member, said shaft member including an abutting face centered on said first axis is non-fixed contact with said piston abutment face; movement of said piston to said extended position moving said shaft member and said slide member to carry said movable tool element toward said stationary tool element said leg being subject to angular movement in response to pressure applied to said movable tool element along said second axis, said angular movement of said leg causing angular deflection of said shaft relative to said axis and said non-fixed contact avoiding angular deflection of said piston.
2.
A hydraulic tool according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said abutment face or said abutting face is convex.
3.
The hydraulic tool of claim 1, wherein said piston abutment face is convex.
4.
The hydraulic tool of claim 1, wherein said piston includes a pocket defined by (i) said abutment face and (ii) a wall tapering outwardly away from said first axis and axially away from said abutment face.
5.
The hydraulic tool of claim 4, wherein said abutment face is convex.
6.
The hydraulic tool of claim 5, wherein said shaft member is provided with an enlarged head having a wall tapering outwardly and axially away from said abutting face, said shaft member tapering wall being spaced from said piston tapering wall