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).
Safety aspects of the steering gear for the 40/50 HP chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 80\1\ scan0073 | |
| Date | 1st April 1921 | |
| X.3791 To BA. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. c. to BN.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} c. to Mr. Faddon. c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} R11/G1.4.21. X.3791 X.20 RE STEERING - 40/50 H.P. CHASSIS. The experience we have had tends to shew that our steering gear is as safe as it can be made without losing other advantages. Mr. Hives' description of the risks seems to the point. I should like to point out, however, that compared with most steering gears it is safer because the intersection of the axis of the steering pivots and the centre of the tyre coincides at the road/surface, and therefore any drag due to a tyre being down or a soft piece of road should not tend to turn the wheels round their steering axes. In practice we find this is actually the case when compared with other cars in which this precaution is not taken. There is, however, always considerable risk while running at speeds such as that pointed out by Mr. Hives, in case a tyre comes off, as is possible with a burst at a corner. It was for this reason that I strongly recommended the continuance of the use of security bolts with such high speed cars as ours. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||