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).
Steering system failures, proposed improvements, and the production of replacement follower rollers for Wraith and Bentley models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 153\1\ scan0254 | |
| Date | 14th April 1939 | |
| - 2 - BY.18/G.14.4.39. earth could be a serious danger. It just happens that we have had a car back at Derby, which went over a heap of small stones on the side of the road, which caused the driver to lose control and go completely through a hedge into a field. An examination of the rocker shaft from this car showed the rocker shaft was undamaged. The difference between the two accidents is, in one case the wheel went into loose soft earth, and in the other one the wheel rose over a heap of small stones. With reference to the effect of the accident upon our present practice, I would suggest two things :- (a). We strengthen the rocker shaft by about 50%. (b). We introduce a safety valve in the system by replacing the straight side steering shaft by one with two symmetrical bends in it. This arrangement would permit of the side steering tube buckling under heavy impact, which whilst it might not prevent an accident would entirely preclude the idea that the accident was caused by something breaking, as has been suggested in this particular case. In regard to the trouble with the follower rollers in the steering gear on the Wraith and the Bentley, we are putting in hand immediately rollers produced at Derby from our own material. The rollers are being produced to the stage at which they are finally hardened and tempered, they are then sent to Hoffmanns for the grinding operations, the point in question being that the production of the ball bearing race is a specialists job, for which we have no machines. All cars which are being delivered to customers are having tested rollers fitted. In addition, we have sent sufficient rollers to Paris to cover all the Bentley and Wraith cars, which have been sold in France. We are going on to produce sufficient rollers to enable us to examine all cars as soon as a stock of rollers are available, and replace rollers which prove to be faulty. Immediately following the roller failures, we put material in hand ourselves, and RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} was able to get 100 rollers away between the Wednesday we interviewed Mr. Smith of Hoffmanns and Friday, hardened and ready for grinding. I am sending you under separate cover, one of the original 25/30 rollers, which I explained were more robust, and one of the type fitted to Wraith and Bentley chassis. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||