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).
Concerns about overloaded brakes on the 4 1/4-litre Bentley and the potential use of aluminium drums with helical ribs.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 85\1\ scan0041 | |
| Date | 9th March 1936 | |
| x 206 To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}E. BY.DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} Bentley Brakes. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}9/E9.3.36 Referring to Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}21/KW.4.3.36, now that we have just managed to get the 4 1/4-litre chassis into production after extensive testing both in England and France, I am very much disturbed to note the first paragraph saying that the brakes of the 4 1/4-litre car are over-loaded. The test report at the end of 10,000 miles on B-56-BN{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} certainly does not indicate this and, as the experimental work on which the report is based has apparently been going on for some considerable time, I am at a loss to understand why we were not informed of this earlier. On Page 4 of the report reference is made to the 12" Bentley drums with helical ribs which seem to be equally as good as the aluminium from a heat point of view and do not add very much more weight, but I cannot find any reference in the report itself to the use of these drums. I feel that it will be a very long time before we could bring the aluminium type of drum through for production but, if it is correct that we are likely to be in serious trouble with brakes on the 4 1/4-litre, it looks for the reasons mentioned above as if the standard size drum with helical ribs might be very important and I should like to have further information regarding results obtained with them. I should also like to have E's views on the whole matter. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||