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).
Tests investigating unequal braking, its effect on steering, and the equalization of braking force.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 30\6\ Scan161 | |
| Date | 12th July 1923 | |
| R.R. 493A (40 H) (SL 42 12-7-23). J.H., D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} X1559 EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. Expl. No. 9940 1559 REF: Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/ACRR.1.Bs.{A J. Barnes - Assistant Manager} To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} (Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence) c. to CJ. DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to WGR. S E C R E T. BRAKES. Unequal braking affecting steering. Further tests have confirmed that this is caused (as DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} suggested) by the arm of the couple from the centre of gravity to the wheel which is doing most braking. We have proved that if we brake on the O.S. front wheel and the car runs off in that direction, we can correct it if we apply the N.S. rear wheel i.e. with diagonal braking, the car then runs straight when brakes are applied. With both brakes applied on one side of the car, is the worst condition. This means that in order to be free from this complaint we must always have equal braking on all wheels. We are carrying out a series of tests to see to what degree the pull in all 4 brakes is equalised. The results of some of the tests we have done lately have shown that with stiffness in some of the operating mechanism will make considerable difference to the equalising. The fact that we use very low pressures in the operating mechanism and multiply the leverage on the axle will, if there is any stiffness in the operating mechanism, give us more unequal braking than in the case of the Hispano where they use high pressures and small movements. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||