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 to Adamant Engineering Co. comparing their Marles steering system with Rolls-Royce's own, focusing on reversibility and road shock.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 28\2\ Scan032 | |
| Date | 10th August 1932 | |
| X4094. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}1/K T. August 10th, 1932. Adamant Engineering Co., Dallow Road, Luton. Dear Sirs, We thank you for your letter and drawings of the Marles steering. Our own steering, consisting of a worm and nut with a helix angle of under 8o is too reversible. We wish to lessen the reversibility and hence also the road shocks transmitted to the steering wheel. From the drawings of Marles steering we estimate the helix angle at about 9½o, and notice that the maximum of friction is estimated from the mechanism by the use of roller bearings throughout. Will you therefore, let us know whether you claim irreversibility for your steering, and if so, how this is obtained. Is there any large car, comparable to our Phantom II fitted with Marles steering, which we could try, to satisfy ourselves on this point? We should add that we have no difficulty in making our steering light, but have trouble in the elimination of road shocks. Yours faithfully, FOR ROLLS-ROYCE LTD. | ||