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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).
Letter from Maurice Olley discussing the theory of safe braking, including formulas for ideal front to rear brake force apportionment.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 170\3\  img168
Date  8th February 1938
  
S.H. Grylls Esq.,
Rolls Royce Limited,
Derby.

8. 2. 38.

vehicle was forced to move crabwise. Their work is of extraordinary interest but gives very little usable information.

I venture to suggest that safe braking at high speeds demands two things -

(a). To stop the dive of the car.
(b). To apportion front to rear braking in accordance with the deceleration in such a way that the fronts are always about as likely to skid as the rears.

Thus for theoretical perfect braking using diagram of enclosed chart.

If α = deceleration.
Front brake force must always be αW/l (b+αh)
Rear " " " " αW/l (a-αh)

Ideal Front/Rear ratio = (b+αh)/(a-αh)

Yours,

Maurice Olley

MAURICE OLLEY.
  
  


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