A hydraulic
dashpot with a cylinder (1), a
piston (4), and a bypass. The cylinder is charged with fluid. The
piston partitions the cylinder into two compartments (7&8), travels back and forth therein on the end of a
piston rod (2), and is provided with breaches and valves. The open cross-section of the bypass can be expanded and contracted and fixed in accordance with the direction the piston is traveling in, depending on whether the
dashpot is in the compression or in the suction phase. The bypass is provided with an axially displaceable control component. One end of the control component comes to rest against a valve, its displacement being limited by stops. The bypass is accommodated in an axial bore through the
piston rod. The bypass operates in conjunction with various outlets that open into the compartments. The control component is provided with at least one lateral
flange and travels back and forth in at least one tube. The object is a smooth performance curve and low wear. The control component is accordingly in several parts, comprising at least two bypass control caps that axially travel up to stationary stops. The caps, in conjunction with axially variable components (18&21) that dictate the size of the open cross-section in both the compression and the suction phase, create a port.