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).
Letter discussing the mounting, standardization, and patent issues of Lovejoy versus R.R. hydraulic shock absorbers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 28\1\ Scan055 | |
| Date | 24th February 1926 | |
| ROLLS-ROYCE OF AMERICA, INC. SPRINGFIELD, MASS. Y832 Oy9-E-22426 February 24, 1926. Mr. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} W. Hives, Mickleover, near Derby, England. Dear Hives: 1. I attach two prints showing details of mounting the Lovejoy front shock absorbers, for your reference and use in case the prints are lost out of the case in which the shock absorbers arrive. 2. We notice that the R.R. hydraulic double-acting shock absorber is an accomplished fact. How far are you off standardizing them do you think? Has patent interference been looked into at all? I ask because Lovejoy has been sounded and will give us any rights which he may have, but perhaps the American Houdaille may be a little more difficult, since they have just been fighting Lovejoy and others on their patents. I have been after Lovejoy for some time to bring out a double-acter for the fronts of cars. His original patents show a double acting shock absorber very much like the original R.R. hydraulic patent. He says however that he found them impracticable because of the backlash being taken up in opposite ways and consequent rapid wear and rattle. In your report you speak of the R.R. shock absorber having 150 lbs. on the ball upwards and 30 lbs. downwards. I presume the reverse is meant, or that it means 150 lbs. when the car moves upwards relative to the axle. | ||