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).
Report discussing performance issues and proposed modifications for Goshawk models, covering noisy gears, spring shackles, undershields, shock absorbers, and brakes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 46\2\ Scan190 | |
| Date | 21th April 1922 guessed | |
| contd:- -3- Engine gears noisy. How are 4/5/and 6/Goshawk/11 shaping in this respect? Have they developed worse or better? In regard to 7-Goshawk-11 although these were quietened when new, they now appear to have developed noisy and I propose dismantling them so as to investigate this cause. Spring shackles. Have you anything to report or comments to make in regard to the wear and tear of the spring shackles, and also steering and shock absorber ball ends, and the effectiveness or otherwise of the leather covers for these various joints on 6-Goshawk-11. Undershield protection. We have not fixed a guard for the steering lever on 6-Goshawk-11 but have fixed a guard for the exhaust pipe and tried to improve the joints adjacent to the starter motor. Are you yet in a position to pass any comments on this job? Do you still think there is any need for a guard or any need for the alteration to the joint adjacent to the starter motor. On 7-Goshawk-11 we have fixed a guard for the exhaust pipe and also for the steering lever which seemed quite effective, but we have not had any real bad weather to try this out. The booming of this undershield which we found was effectively reduced by fixing a damping plate at the front, was applied to 6-Goshawk-11. Have you any comments to make in regard to this matter. Shock absorber toggle. Is any alteration to be made in regard to this matter and can it be embodied on 7-Goshawk-11? The matter is now in the D.O. hands, but nothing yet has been instructed. As regards the front shock absorbers, it is being gone into by the D.O. to overcome the possible breakage of the aluminium body as did happen in our earlier tests on 2-Goshawk-11. We are also arranging to obtain some stronger springs as suggested by you. Do you consider we should still push on with this? Direct drive working out. Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} complains of this on 5-Goshawk-11 but there is no complaint on any other cars. We rather think that this is due to the eccentric fitting of the gears - a point which the Works have taken up and which they say can be improved. Exhaust cut-out. Is it seriously intended that we should try out experimental work on the internal cut-out scheme as suggested by R.{Sir Henry Royce}? Brakes. Has Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} any further complaints re. brakes seizing up, which I think he mentions in one of his early reports. Although the foot brake on 7-Goshawk-11 appeared very effective when new it certainly feels that when the car comes to a standstill, considerable pressure is required and one can easily spring the pedal on to the floor-board to make the brakes effective for this condition even although the latest type strong deep flange brake drums are used. We have not yet, however, been able to fix contd:- | ||