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).
The trial and fitting of shock absorbers, comparing another manufacturer's methods and suggesting modifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\2\ Scan019 | |
| Date | 29th March 1916 guessed | |
| Nº 2. ------- deep enough in mesh; there being only the slightest marking on each of the 18 teeth. The "plateau central" on the V shaped spindle is not made of hard steel, and I think it would perhaps be better to make it harder, or case harden the working parts. The Shock Absorbers have been made to fix in any position, Peugeot do not fix theirs like Rolls-Royce; those for the front of the chassis are easily fixed, while those for the rear you will find are prepared for fixing inside the chassis frame by means of clips similar to those which hold the springs. One of these clips you will find comes in the way of the rubber buffer, but this necessitates only a slight alteration to the buffer to allow of the correct mode of fixing being discovered. As the body, or round part of the shock absorber will stand higher than the frame, it will be necessary to have clearance between it and the coachwork. I propose to fix a collar on the axle tube, of which the wooden model will give you the idea. This collar, if adopted, must be fixed by strong bolts with brackets on the right and left hand carrying the ball ends. I am afraid that the Rolls-Royce ball ends and tubes are not strong enough for the third, and severest shock. It would be well to have stronger ones made before fixing the apparatus. During the trial which I made at Messrs Peugeot's, I found it necessary to make very strong ball ends and tubes. If required, it is possible to replace this collar by a bracket, acetylene welded on the axle tube. The body of the apparatus could be fixed by means of clips and distance pieces to the side of the chassis; distance pieces would be very necessary to avoid tightening the clips to straining. | ||