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).
Proposal and justification for trialling a hydraulic braking system, including a suggested layout and mentioning the Girling system for a Bentley.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 92\4\ scan0027 | |
| Date | 16th November 1934 | |
| -2- HE/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}11/KW.16.11.34. The suggestion of hydraulic operation is sure to meet with criticism on the score of known failures on cheap cars. If however we did not rely on the rubber cups and backed them up with shock damper type pistons or used the pistons only, providing return pipes for leakage oil, the chance of a failure is negligible. On the sketch of our suggested layout we show a limited travel of the master piston in conjunction with a servo of about 3 times the normal stroke, by a chain wrapping on a drum. Failure of the pipe lines will not put the servo rear braking out of action. Sponge in the front brakes would not be noticed, and adjustment will only be required at very infrequent intervals. We do think it worth while giving this system trial, for one thing in order to obtain information about hydraulic brakes when properly designed. In view of our difficulties with direct braking to all wheels on the Bentley, we should like to try the Girling system with separate gearbox. A conventional front axle should make this easy, and sponge in the system should be a minimum. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/H.Grylls. | ||