Abstract: A stay for use with a cover or the like and having a cylinder containing a pressure fluid medium and a piston arranged for movement into and out of the cylinder. The piston rod carries a piston which is slidably arranged within the cylinder and which itself is mounted on the piston rod for axial displacement relative thereto and has at least one opening that allows the pressure fluid medium to flow through the piston. The piston rod itself has two abutments, the first being arranged in the region of the interior end of the piston and the second being spaced from the first abutment, these two abutments having the piston arranged between themselves and limiting the axial displacement of the piston with respect to the piston rod. Moreover, the piston rod carries a cover element which is likewise axially displaceable relative to the piston rod and is adapted to close the opening or openings of the piston.