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).
Failure of a rear shock damper ball end fixing, attributing it to incorrect assembly and a design flaw, and proposing a new forged bracket design.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 151\2\ scan0126 | |
| Date | 27th December 1933 | |
| x4698 LFS To BT. {Capt. J. S. Burt - Engineer} from Da. {Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c.for. E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} HSY. Da. {Bernard Day - Chassis Design} 3/HP.27.12.33. P.2. Rear Shock Damper Ball End Fixing. With reference to the sheet metal brake bracket, to which is secured the lower ball end of the rear shock damper connecting rod, one of these failed on the bump rig under very high shock damper loads, viz. 400 lbs on the ball end. The part which failed was not, in fact, erected in accordance with drawing instructions, the sleeve on which the brake levers turn having been put in with the flanged end the wrong way round. Thus the sheet metal bracket was deprived of some of its support in torsion. It is thought however that the sudden change of section at the end of this bracket is not good, and accordingly we send herewith N. Sch.3921 shewing the suggestion for carrying the flange of the sheet metal bracket right round the ball end bracket fixing. This latter bracket is made a forging, instead of thick sheet as now. Except for this and a longer bolt, the pieces are unaltered. Da. {Bernard Day - Chassis Design} | ||