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).
From 'E' to 'Hs' discussing a patent, axle design, and steering and suspension issues on test vehicles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 17\1\ Scan109 | |
| Date | 19th February 1934 | |
| X7410 To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} E.2/HP.19.2.34. Replying to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}10/MJ.15.2.34, I agree that we ought to take out a provisional patent for Leslie's idea for the reason you mention, although at the same time I do not think we should like the effect of a vehicle with a centre point mounting at the front. The Scammell Co. have a patent for a pivotted axle which, at the same time, has independently mounted wheels on each end so that any proposal we put up would essentially be based on attaching the mass of the engine to the axle. This also reintroduces the possibility of gyrosstatic reactions should the mass of the axle and engine be affected by changes in the road surface which is rather likely to be the case. Personally I think some spring damped control would be necessary in addition between the engine and the frame, and this compromise might get away with it. On the vehicle we are testing - 27-EX, the most noticeable fault is the effect of poor steering geometry which causes steering wheel movement and lunging of the car on changing surfaces. When we cure this there should be a decided improvement. Another effect that is very noticeable is the tendency to hit the buffer on one side a smashing blow without sufficient cause and this may account for the Americans using such pronounced rubber buffers on their knee action springing. The same effect does not seem to be experienced with leaf springs to the same degree, possibly owing to the rapid increase in interleaf damping when the spring is compressed. In the design in progress for the SpectreCodename for Phantom III we are dealing with both of these features, namely, the steering geometry and provision for buffering, as well as other features. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} | ||