From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Responding to complaints and outlining improvements for ignition keys, steering wheels, and handbrake levers.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\I\July1922\ Scan46 | |
| Date | 20th July 1922 | |
| ORIGINAL RECEIVED 1922 To-B.J. from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} By c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Bp Goshawk IGNITION SWITCH & BONNET KEYS. XH081 In reply to your memo. D015/H18.7.22., Mr. Royce remarks as follows in connection with the complaint that the key for the ignition Yale lock should be longer:- "I think the trouble is not that the key is buried in the switch, but that there are 2 keys attached together with a ring, and the second key tends to become jammed between the switch handles. It is not possible to use 1 key only for both the switch box and the bonnet owing to the possibility of having to change the switchbox on a car, should it require attention. I therefore suggest that each key should have a short length of chain attaching it to a central ring. The ring is provided as a convenient means of attaching the keys to one's personal key ring." With regard to the other points mentioned in the memo, all of them are already in receipt of attention experimentally with a view to improvement, with the exception of the following:- (1) STEERING WHEEL TOO THIN. x4264 The rim has been specially reduced to the proportions we now have. The wheel is considered by many to be very comfortable to hold. (2) POSITION OF HAND BRAKE LEVER. It is very general to have to reach forward a little to operate the hand brake. The position of the lever has been fixed for simplicity, to be the best compromise for both "B" and "D" steering. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} | ||