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).
Proposal to experimentally try a spring-controlled ball at the apex of the torque arm to minimise wear and obviate issues with the spring.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 55\4\ Scan003 | |
| Date | 17th November 1927 | |
| To EY. from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} X235 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}3/LG1711.27 TORQUE ARM BALL JOINT. (8240 We should like to try experimentally a spring controlled ball at the apex of the torque arm. There are two reasons for this :- (a) No matter where the shock absorber is placed, the torque arm will quarrel slightly with the spring. If the ball has a small amount of spring control movement, this trouble will be obviated. (b) The practice of spring loading ball joints as on the side and cross steering tubes minimises the effect of wear. We suggest that the ball should have 1/16 of an inch spring controlled travel in each direction, and an initial load of 50 lbs. on it, increasing to 100 or 150 lbs. at the end of the 1/16" movement. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||