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).
Plain thrust bearing for the steering gear, ultimately recommending against its use.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 28\4\ Scan104 | |
| Date | 12th January 1914 | |
| From Exp. Dept. Copies for: J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Ba. Na.{Mr Nadin} Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}/Hy{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer}12/L12114. January 12th. 1914. Report on Steering Gear with plain thrust bearing in column. X.457. This thrust bearing is the second one and is of improved design, having large surfaces. The steering is not so easily reversible as with the ball thrust. It takes a force of 280 inch lbs on the pivot to overcome 12.5 inch lbs on the steering column when steering to right and 245 inch lbs when steering to the left. The plain thrust spoils our nice free steering and does not give any real advantages when the wheels wobble. It does not allow the hand wheel to be knocked about so badly as with the ball thrust but the shock to the steering gear is greater as the various parts "wind up" more. I do not recommend its use, chiefly because it destroys the characteristic freeness of our steering. If we wish to steady our steering by some similar means I think some kind of friction device should be applied at the pivot pins. H E Sidebottom/LG | ||