Abstract: In a piston and cylinder device, such as a hydraulic cylinder, potential or kinetic energy of the piston just before reaching the cylinder head at the end of a stroke can be mitigated using a rod spud/cushion sleeve arrangement where the rod spud and cushion sleeve comprise complementary continuously and gradually tapered portions forming an annular orifice having a cross-sectional area that dynamically, continuously and gradually decreases as an external tapered portion of the rod spud moves through an internal tapered portion of the cushion sleeve to the end of the piston stroke.