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).
Developments in hydraulic lash adjusters, brakes, valves, suspension, supercharging, and six-cylinder engines.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 178\2\ img195 | |
| Date | 19th February 1934 | |
| -4- I should be glad to have the latest details of where we have got to with our rocker hydraulic lash adjuster. Jardine is interested in making it if it is simpler for an O.H.V. engine than his own product. BRAKES. The vacuum servo has become almost universal here. The Stewart Warner friction type does not seem to have gained ground. It seems that we should at least be running one of these. Clarke of Bendix could supply and fit. The Americans, even on their largest jobs, seem to have no difficulty in making brakes that will stop the car without a super-human effort, even without the servo. However I am afraid this is due to using self-wrapping shoes. One is bound to admit that our friction servo is a somewhat inconsistent piece of apparatus. STELLITING VALVES. Jardine still seems convinced that for automobiles at any rate he has had good results from the softer stellite. You will observe his remarks. I send some calculations of Oy's on different layouts of independent wheel suspension. I think he is inclined to over-emphasize such points as the tendency to squat when braking, though Dubonnet's Hispano showed me in Paris how unpleasant it can be if you get the layout so wrong that the car is lifted much when the brakes are applied. SUPERCHARGING. The Graham Paige effort has undoubtedly stimulated interest everywhere in this development. I have not had an opportunity of trying the car. SIX CYLINDER ENGINE. As previously mentioned, I have been impressed with the Plymouth. The result may be mainly engine mounting, or combustion chamber design possibly has a lot to do with it, but the car is well worth trying and analysing. Whatever we may do in the future, we have to make the best of the six for at least another three years. | ||