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).
Design and control of a new hydraulic damper system.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 178\3\ img138 | |
| Date | 14th April 1932 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}) FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer}) (At Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence.) C to SC WOR{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} BY PN{Mr Northey} R3/M12.4.32. Sent from WW. 14.4.32. X238. DAMPER SYSTEM, AND CONTROL OF SAME. We are nothing unless we are thorough, because we are not quick to do anything, or cheap - i.e. changes are late and infrequent, but fairly right and lasting in many ways. I am emphatic that if we must have control as standard, and that flexible road springs which are well damped by powerful hydraulic dampers will not meet our requirements, we must make a thorough job of this control. Now to control the leaky by-pass is not what we should do if we made two perfect dampers - i.e. one for low speed, and one for high - and also the leak should only be sufficient to restore the normal position of the axle slowly, in fact, the less of it the better, but there should be a leak as shewn in our original patent. We have I hope been able to perfect our single valve for both directions, because one is better than two, and it has other advantages as well as only one to control. If this is done half our task is over. I have schemed various controls for this work, but none equal to the hydraulic, which is self-adjusting to act equally on all the damper at all times during the life of the car. Also I find that this can be as simple, when it is completely automatic, as it would be if hand controlled, either in two stages or progressively, and I have sent - via Mr. Eyre - a fairly complete design for a small box reservoir of oil - 6" X 6" X 4" - which contains a little pump and governor, and when driven from the servo shaft will give an oil pressure proportionate exactly to the square of the car speed, and so increase the normal damping proportionately, almost if not exactly as we think perfection. I think this scheme should have preference over all others, and if not covered by an earlier patent which has probably been dropped, it should at least have a provisional to guard ourselves against/paying a royalty later. the possibility of This is the only scheme that I know of (from any source) that has a reasonable theoretical promise of success, especially in the time limit. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||