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).
Outlining requested modifications to Phantom II rear shock absorbers for testing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 16\4\ Scan243 | |
| Date | 9th January 1931 | |
| To RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} From HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 2/MJ.9.1.31. HYDRAULIC SHOCK ABSORBERS. We should like to have for test as soon as possible a pair of Phantom ll rear shock absorbers with the following modifications :- (1) Delco spring loaded type pistons and intermediate lever modified to suit. (2) Main lever to axle of Delco section pressed to the shaft with knurling. (3) Body of the shock absorber to be made in cast iron, the walls to be increased in thickness approximately 25%. (4) The top spring loaded ball connection of the damper to be lubricated from the bottom spring loaded ball instead of from the damper as at present. We suggest that you leave the re-fill valves in the Lovejoy piston which you will fit to this damper but at the same time also leave standard re-fill valves in the casing so that we can utilise both or either. We also suggest that you produce half a dozen pistons or so because we may want to try various clearances after examining those used by the Lovejoy people. The idea of getting these essential improvements out of the Lovejoy with a minimum alteration to our own damper. If we can get these essential features tested it will stop us making shock absorbers, as we are doing at present, which will undoubtedly require servicing in six months. Having got the parts that we know are good through, we can then proceed to alter the existing design etc., to reduce the cost, but as this necessitates a good deal of experimental work in order to see if we can delete the spring loaded gland, filter, etc., without running into trouble, we do not want to hold up the things we can do at once while we test features that may give trouble. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||