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).
Potential improvements to the vehicle's steering system.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 106\3\ scan0157 | |
| Date | 22th March 1927 | |
| (5430.) To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to BJ. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} CWB. PN.{Mr Northey} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R3/M22.3.27. STEERING - GENERAL. X.8430 X.5430 X.7430 X.235 We have now many items to make this better - Increased } (1) Nearly or quite irreversible worm in irreversibility } still greater dia. perhaps slightly slower still. Maintain oil film } (2) Sufficiently long nut to prevent oil film breaking down. Damping cross tube} (3) Cross steering tube ball ends with anti-rattles. } damping friction. This seems to be proving } that this will not increase the wear } because it prevents rattling; even if } necessary increase dia. of balls, perhaps } only a little. Spring return to } (4) If one tried actually just irreversible enable (1). } steering (1) with spring return on steering column. Triple damping - } (5) Damped pendulum lever would probably this with (3) and } be necessary with just irreversible steer- (6) } ing. Thorough and con- } (6) Hydraulic damper on steering set to give stant damping, } very constant damping, and if possible slow unvariable. } free movement. Certainly it seems as } though leaks could slowly increase from } centre to full lock if such a scheme were } practical, but I think there must be - Safety from exces } (7) correct geometry and ample clearance in sive stresses from} elasticity to prevent excessive stresses. road shocks. } All, or any of these as quickly as possible, some of them are now standard. Safety from change} (8) Ample and constant lean of front pivot of lean of pivots.} by means of combined shock damper and spring control. With the best of the above we should have the best steering of any other car in existance, but we must get a move on before we lose reputation by getting behind others. We have done so well lately if we can only take advantage of it. Naturally one cannot have all these fittings, and I want contd:- | ||