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My my my, I haven't seen an old Herc underbody in 30 years and I've been in the busness for 38 years. Those things were relics when I started, HA.
Well, the bad news is that the Hercules Body Co merged with the Galion Allsteel Body company and became Hercules Galion in the 60's. Then it becam e Peasbody Galion. Then it sold again and became just plain Galion. After that it was McClain Galion and then about a year or two ago it sold to Godwin in NC. It (whats left of it anyway) is in Winesburg, OH and manufacturers dump bodies and hoists. But, these old twin-arm underbody style hoists for a conversion application haven't been used since Hector was a pup. It is a 7" cylinder low pressure,(1000 psi)and used a cast iron gear pump & valve [censored]'y. The were pretty much bullet proof as lonf as you didn't forget to disengage the PTO and take off down the highway. So much for the history lesson.

Now to answer your questions: yes these were made as single acting only, ie, gravity down. There were and still are some twin cylinder underbodies built but not for use as a "conversion" hoist, only as a dump body hoist and are heavier built. The cylinder rod is likely 2-2 1/4" range and I'll bet dollars to donuts that it is not chrome plated. It uses cast iron piston rings for seals, has a cast iron piston and bypasses at the end of stroke back to the pump. Around and around it goes and where it stops...well it stops when the body is lowered. Don't leave the pump run without doing some work, ie, pumping or you can burn up the thrust washers or side plates that seal the gears. These are bronze faced steel. The pump packing is probably a stacked set of leather or rubber seals under compression. Very effective on low pressure system like this. Seals for both the cylinder and pump can easily be found but will likely be more modern materials and frankly, better. The disadvantage of these old girls is that they are very heavy and aren't too stable. A hanging load like clay sticking on one side will turn them over pretty easy. I mean turn the truck over! So be careful and always be on level ground. Another piece of good advaice is to remember that these were made for grain and fertilizer hauling. Not for sand, dirt or gravel. If you dump those products remember NOT to load then too far to the front of the body or it probably won't lift it and would damage the body and/or the truck frame.

So there you have it, the good the bad and the ugly. Happy Haulin Mongo.
Oh.....and just to satisfy your curiosity, no..you can't get parts anymore except from the junk yard so don't bend or break the lift arms, cross shaft or cylinder rod.