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).
Steering box mounting issues, alignment problems, and potential design improvements including a new coupling.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 69\3\ scan0199 | |
| Date | 30th April 1925 guessed | |
| contd :- -2- to give easy steering, but I believe that the mounting of the EAC. box in the frame upsets the fitting, and the stresses cause the worm to cross-wind in its nut: this we are meeting by :- (1) We have sent Derby a fairly simple alteration to the mounting to avoid the stress, and absolutely preventing the mounting and stresses of the box in the frame distorting the alignment between the worm and its nut, which I have thought is the only way we can account for the variation from one box to another. (2) We sent a better flange to fix the steering column to the box (one has broken), but the modif-ication in (1) may as so reduce the strain that caused the original one to break. (3) We are making a design that will make careful alignment unnecessary, and want of alignment through faulty production or strain incapable of binding the nut and the worm (universal support). This will make all steering equally easy, and probably add to the life of the nut. So far as I can see this will go into the present box. Unless we are on the wrong track (1) should at once ease the situation equal at least to the 40/50, and (3) should give a good step forward, superior to anything. COUPLING. X.8305 I have mentioned elsewhere that this is not only an EAC. but equally a 40/50 problem. We calculate that if we can make a fabric coupling stand 10,000 in. lbs. reverse torque, it should live. Our tests are not ideal: I should prefer a slower rest more like Upton Lewis. Wagging the wheel is O.K. from one to another, but it is uncertain what stress it applies, because if the coupling is elastic the wheel will over-run the crank and increase the stress beyond the calculated amount. We have sent the best design of clutch we know of that can be got in. Mr. Stent is sketching a new test rig. The work in hand at WW. will follow in the next letter. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||