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).
Proposed improvements to the Spectre front shock dampers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 95\4\ scan0006 | |
| Date | 31th October 1934 | |
| 4434 2 Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Les.{Ivan A. Leslie} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Les.4/MA.31.10.34. SPECTRECodename for Phantom III FRONT SHOCK DAMPERS. We have been giving careful consideration to your N.Sch.4030/1 in order to reduce as many factures as possible which demand very accurate machining and fitting. Serious faults often develop in batches on production after a smooth period owing to very slight discrepancies, in manufacture. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}1584 shows a number of alterations to your scheme which we consider to be improvements. The advantages gained are :- (1) The number of fitting concentric diameters is reduced by two. (2) The piston and spring roller flange is in one piece. This also makes it easier to get the main spring guide concentric with the piston. (3) The only possible high pressure oil leaks are all into the reservoir. Instead of one being possible to counteract the governor control pressure. (4) No stud drilling goes through to the oil reservoir. This has been standard practice on all shock dampers for some time. (5) The valve chamber and main flange are in one piece. Any avoidance of fitting before final machining is of considerable assistance to production. The low pressure cylinder will still require two holes drilling after a temporary assembly, but this can be done by the fitters themselves. (6) The method of locking the centre tube to the valve chamber seems doubtful. If the tapered pin is loosened owing to the piston hitting the rebound stop, the internal pressure on the high pressure stroke would remove the pin. It appears that it would not be necessary to lock the tube with our method as this can be tightened to a far greater extent. However a taper pin can easily be used between the low pressure cylinder and the valve chamber on their top diameters. | ||