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).
Confidential internal memo discussing views on Monsieur Paulin's patent for a sub-frame design.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 147\3\ scan0080 | |
| Date | 22th April 1938 | |
| Private & Confidential. 1245P 1247 Sr. at Paris, from Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} (Sr. is crossed out) c. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} We return herewith the description of Monsieur Paulin's patent, and Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} has asked me to give you our views. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} remarks the whole scheme very strongly resembles our patent body sub-frame which we used for many years on the Phantom. From the coachbuilder's point of view, it is good to isolate the body entirely from the chassis. It is also good for tyre noise, body booms etc. We gave it up for various reasons, the chief of which was the increased weight, as we know that in practice we never succeeded in saving the weight of the sub-frame in the construction of the body super structure as described by Monsieur Paulin. It will be appreciated that in those days we had the orthodox front axle and torsionally flexible frame. That was one way of making a motor car. With the advent of independent front wheel suspension, the design became impossible because the increased torsion on the frame resulting from independent front wheel suspension, demanded a torsionally rigid frame, having stiff forward looking arms, reacting from a torsionally rigid frame centre. Because of this increased frame weight the use of a body sub-frame became still more unprofitable, and to save weight one would like to move in the direction of making the frame the base of the body so cutting out the bottom body sides. As soon as we discover a means of preventing tyre noise and general road noises reaching the body through the suspension and frame, bodies will be mounted solid to the chassis, and eventually possibly be made part of the chassis. In view of these brief remarks concerning Monsieur Paulin's invention, we are inclined to think it is a step in the retrograde direction, and one which entirely disregards the advent of independent front wheel suspension. Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} | ||