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 to The Bowden Brake Co. Ltd. concerning the efficiency of their supplied cables.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 84\2\ scan0322 | |
| Date | 13th March 1935 | |
| 4206 Exptl: Dept: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}18/KW. 13th March, 1935. The Bowden Brake Co.Ltd., Victoria Road, Willesden Junction, London, N.W.10. For the attention of Mr. Smytheman. Dear Sirs, We send you herewith graphs of the efficiency we measured on one of the two heavy cables you supplied last Summer. You will notice that at "pull off spring" loads the efficiency never exceeds 70%. We confirm telling you that after applying the load for a few seconds there is a further drop in efficiency. With regard to the 30 feet of light cable, we have been using this to transmit axle movement with a view to recording same on a Cambridge Chronograph. We find it is not suitable for this purpose. Due either to lost movement between compression and tension or friction the axle would appear to spend some time at the end positions of its travel, which we know not to be the case. We realise that perhaps we expected too much in using Bowden cable for this purpose, but should be glad to have your views on the result. Yours faithfully, FOR ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED. | ||