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).
Investigation into fumes entering the car cabin via the side brake lever gap and proposed solutions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\2\ Scan265 | |
| Date | 5th May 1930 | |
| E.P. at W. Copy to W. Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Copy to JLE.{J. Lee Evans - Chassis Test Manager} Copy to HO. X4117 Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}7/EDW/5-5-30. SIDE BRAKE LEVER GAP. EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}11/H17-4-30. At our request JLE.{J. Lee Evans - Chassis Test Manager} has conducted some experiments with a car fitted with a leather gaiter around the hand brake lever. He found that under certain conditions - noticeably with the driver's window down - there is a tendency for the inside of the car to become filled with fumes when the leather gaiter is a reasonably good fit round the hand brake lever. Apparently with the window down there is sufficient suction to suck up fumes chiefly around the change speed quadrant. On the same car without the leather gaiter and with a window down, fumes were not noticed because presumably it was easy for cold air to be sucked up round the hand brake lever. We therefore suggest that instead of asking coachbuilders to make a standard practice of fitting a leather gaiter, we should confine ourselves to supplying and fitting one only when there is a complaint of draught. It is also recommended that if you decide to proceed with the idea of standardising a cover as part of the chassis to cover, whilst masking the gap round the brake quadrant, should not completely enclose it. It ought to be possible to prevent a really unpleasant draught and yet at the same time allow of a certain amount of air entering so as to overcome the tendency to suck fumes into the body. In addition, it is suggested that you may be able to close in around the change speed quadrant more effectually. This should go a great way towards preventing the entry of fumes under any circumstances. Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} | ||