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).
Inquiry into using slow-motion kinematograph film to investigate high-speed steering wobble.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 29\1\ Scan069 | |
| Date | 18th September 1925 | |
| To PN.{Mr Northey} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 4457 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/LG18.9.25. HIGH SPEED STEERING WOBBLES. We have a car fitted up with the front wheels running on a pair of revolving drums. By this means we are able to observe the high speed wobble at close quarters. By means of an oscilloscope we can reduce the high speed wobble to slow-motion and observe the characteristics of its cycle. We find we can cure a wobble almost instantaneously by pouring water on the drums. We are very anxious to be able to see what happens as the wobble dies out. We cannot see with our oscilloscope because we only get a momentary glimpse of each cycle and we believe the wobble dies out in two or three cycles. We wonder whether it would be possible to see what we want by means of a slow-motion kinematograph film. An exposure of considerably under a minute would probably show us all that we require. We should be much indebted to you if you could tell us of anybody who would undertake to photograph a wobble for us and what you anticipate would be the cost of such a film. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||