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).
Ongoing complaints about thick leaf springs and the comparative benefits of using thin leaf springs.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\G\October1921\ Scan42 | |
| Date | 1st October 1921 | |
| To C.J. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to C.I. " " W.R. " " H.S. " " H.D. " " D.Y. ORIGINAL RE SPRINGS. X2628 I understand that we are continually receiving complaints of the cars fitted with thick leaf springs. I quite realise that some of the complaints might be due to the split long leaf that was used in some of the cars, permitting lateral flexibility, and also that some of the complaints may be due to the springs being too flexible, combined with insufficient damping friction, which would give a want of vertical steadiness, but I understand that whatever the fault is, it has been cured in all cases by changing to thin leaf springs which probably have greater damping effect, but it may be that when we fit the thin leaf springs we use a stiffer spring, because I understood that although the thin leaf spring reduced the tendency for the leaves to squeak when unlubricated, it did not very materially, when lubricated, increase the vertical damping. Perhaps, however, the situation can be somewhat explained by the fact that the thin leaf spring is not so liable to squeak and therefore can be run dry, in which case it very materially increases the damping, and therefore solves the problem of steadiness of riding, because it can be used unlubricated. I should be glad of Mr. Hives' and Mr. Platford's report as to whether these conclusions are correct. I believe that the changing of the springs is the least expensive policy, especially when we are able to get the springs at a more reasonable cost, such as the cost for instance, that they can be purchased at in America. I should also be pleased to know when we may hope to receive road springs from Messrs. Firths' new plant. These people may be more reasonable, and inclined to compete with the American prices. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||