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).
Outlining a programme for improving hydraulic dampers and front axle control on the Phantom II model.
| Identifier | Morton\M19\ img019 | |
| Date | 12th February 1931 | |
| To Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} ORIGINAL Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson}1/WJ.12.2.31. X235 HYDRAULIC DAMPERS & FRONT AXLE CONTROL. We note from R.1/M7.2.31 that R.{Sir Henry Royce} is in agreement with putting a split piston in the existing shock absorbers and replacing the shock absorber inside the frame at the front of the Phantom ll by means of one outside the frame. This being so, we should like to put forward a programme for shock absorbers. PHANTOM II. This is much the most urgent because we are waiting to send cars to the United States where we shall not get any sympathy if the shock absorbers make a noise and shall have to spend large sums of money on servicing them. We therefore recommend the following:- (1) Rear Shock Absorbers. The first essential is to get a split piston in this shock absorber without any other modification because it will mean scrapping the minimum material and mean the minimum delay. The next step is to increase the diameter of the main shaft to take care of the higher loads which we shall undoubtedly want to use on the low deflection springs, and at the same time make the end carrying the valves in cast iron with the object of (a) preventing the valves hammering into their seats and so reducing their loads (b) enable a very narrow valve seat to be used which will reduce the chance of foreign matter holding the valve off its seat. At the same time the Bijur should be taken from the shock absorber and made to run up the spring loaded connecting tube because as long as this Bijur is as at present we shall always run the risks of a damper emptying itself. Expl. we have made up a damper which contains all these features except the elimination of the Bijur connection and you have details of what we have done. We are now running an endurance test on it but naturally we hope to get a scheme from you with the least possible delay, embodying R's suggestions for accomplishing the same ends. (2) Front Shock Absorbers. We do not see any prospect of permanently silencing the Phantom ll front shock absorber without major modifications. We think that far the best way of dealing with the problem is to use a rear shock absorber fitting on the outside of the frame sufficiently far forward to avoid spoiling the steering lock and with | ||