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).
Design and setup of springs within a steering tube for better control and reduced wear.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 22\1\ Scan129 | |
| Date | 7th March 1924 | |
| /4214 To HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. RG.{Mr Rowledge} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} PN.{Mr Northey} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} SECRET. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} A.{Mr Adams} C. R2/M7.3.24. SPRINGS IN STEERING TUBE. X.9450 X.12430 X.4214 Your memo. passed mine in the post. I am not entirely in favour of balanced springs one against another. It is rather too slack a control. I want a set-up spring perhaps less set-up than our recent experiments, and perhaps slower rating, and ample clearance. Suppose we take the pressure exerted when the balls are 1" nearer together with a shock. The Hispano case would be 440 lbs. from your figures, therefore in effect the Hispano tube is - (Try and find out on bad potholes how much movement there is.) Supposing we say we want 1" of clearance, which should be ample for any shock, could we leave our steering ball a working fit, and make our rating thus - (It must have setting up and controlling bolt, but can be adjusted to give 30 lbs. on ball.) Any desired amount - say 30 lbs. If it is done at both ends then the same rating on .5" would be right. Such a scheme would direct the car more accurately, but the greater shocks would be felt less severely, unless even the greater ones do not require so much clearance. I do not really think for reasons of wear that the ball should have so much constant friction as our 40/50, and the Hispano. This is what I have been trying to do for years but we have never found the correct quantities. Therefore ample clearance, lower rating, set up to relieve wear in ball, and control car better. I think better at rear end of tube only for simplicity and less weight on quickly vibrating end. DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} should give designs - HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} should test temporarily. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||