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 considerations for the Bensport chassis, including supercharger proportions and control layouts.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 179b\1\ img014 | |
| Date | 20th August 1932 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} ORIGINAL C - to SO. WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} PN.{Mr Northey} BA. BENSPORT CHASSIS. X4553 When writing our memo. last week naturally we were not aware of any changes being made to the supercharger. I am very pleased with the new proportions of supercharger which is considered to be the best for the high revs. we propose to run it; compared with the long one it has relieved the situation as regards the pedal positions and somewhat the change speed and brake levers. I do not think it will be worth while attempting to rig up the blower on present Peregrine as we seem to have settled that we must have the blower in front, and we ought to go ahead with this position, concluding and expecting that it will at least give passable acceleration, etc. We can play about with the Alfa Romeo if we wish, and we believe there are some Bentleys that we can borrow should HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} wish to obtain some experience of this position, but my views are as follows:- We have been a very long time settling a specification for Bensport and our time limit is up for changing it. We must go ahead and make the best of it, even should it prove that we had to fit special gadgets to make the snap acceleration 100%, but we do think that the specification as settled at the moment has the least chance of being wrong, that is, its advantages are more hopeful than any possible disadvantages that we at present foresee. As regards the chassis EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} is sending to Derby this weekend the exact position of the engine relative to the frame and dash control levers and steering column, and I believe sufficient information to enable the side frames of the chassis to be ordered. This would be definitely making a move. The drawing shews that many of the Peregrine pieces are quite applicable. It will be seen on this drawing that the change speed and brake levers have gone back on to the gearbox, and that in this neighbourhood there is sufficient room to get the feet past these obstructions, and at the same time it leaves them mechanically better to handle, and of rather simpler construction than any other scheme we have had. Owing to the engine and steering box going a few inches more forward it has enabled the steering column to be raised out of the way of the feet, and so permits the pedals being more nearly opposite the column than heretofore. I am personally watching the control springs of the parts to be handled by the fingers, so that we shall not be repeating the stiff controls that we have on the 25HP., and present Peregrine, both of which I expect are on their way to improvement. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||