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 improvements and standardisation for spare wheel carriers, luggage carriers, and step-irons on Phantom and Goshawk models.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\Q\January1927-March1927\ 113 | |
| Date | 7th March 1927 | |
| DR/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} TO HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} DR. FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} (At Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence.) ORIGINAL REC'D & DESPATCHED FROM WW. 7.3.27. R3/M3.3.27. Copy to DJ. LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} FN. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} CWB. X8400 X8600 Y5600 Y8350 PHANTOM & GOSHAWK - SPARE WHEEL CARRIERS, LUGGAGE CARRIER, STEP-IRONS. These are very difficult things to get right, and a reasonably light and elegant design. The wheel carriers on the 20HP. and the side ones on Phantom appear to be quite OK. for cost and efficiency. The newly designed rear one as fitted to 7-EX. (the Phantom I have in France) is not quite right - i.e. the wheel works up the face to which it is bolted - Why? I believe it is because the torsional flex and the flex of the tyre result in a force pushing the wheel up the face, and the friction due to the bolt pressure holding it there. The cure appears to be greater height between the tube and shoes. An idea is to reverse the fault by fixing the plate to the tube above it. Another idea is to fix it to the present tube and to the tube above it. Another improvement might be to get the shoes rather lower down, and naturally nearer together. All, or any of these would improve the fitting without serious alterations, and may prove all that is necessary for complete satisfaction. Another fault that should be avoided occurs when the battery is on the runningboard - i.e. we have not suitable step-irons suitable for this extra 100 lbs. weight. The ordinary arrangement breaks on the rough French roads at high speed, even with low pressure tyres. The cure might be to use more specially placed, or stronger ones. What are we to advise our coachbuilders? Since these matters give we engineers much trouble before we get them strong enough, without excessive weight or ugly clumsy appearance, how can it be expected that the many coachbuilders have each to get them right for many varieties of chassis. And it will be understood that a large and high speed car like our 40/50, make the test cases for their practice, because of the high speed, and also the extra weight of our spare wheels. It is for this reason I press for these being carried to a successful finish, and standardised. It will be seen that where we have done so it is well worth the trouble, because it saves the users of RR. cars trouble and expense. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||